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THE LIFE OF PAUL OF TARSUS 











THE LIFE OF PAUL 
OF TARSUS 


BY 

MARY LARRIMER 

o 

AUTHOR OF “plats WITH A PROLOGUE” “SACRIFICE” 

“life’s mirror” “peter of bbthsaida” 



BOSTON 

LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. 



Copyright, 1929, 

By MARY LARRIMER WHITE 


All rights reserved 


THE LIFE OP PAUL OF TARSUS 


PRINTED IN U.S.A. 


©CIA 

OEC 20 


17560 




. For the earth shall be full of the 
knowledge of the Lord, as the waters 
cover the sea,” 


Isaiah 11:9 





CONTENTS 


1. 

A Child of Cilicia . 



PAGE 

9 

IL 

The Mold of Tradition 



. 24 

III. 

Sacred Pilgrimage . 



. 39 

IV. 

Light — and Darkness 



. 69 

V. 

Sight to the Blind 



. 86 

VI. 

Perplexities—AND Purpose 



. 98 

VII. 

Thecla and Paul . 



. 114 

VIII. 

The Cross 



. 123 

IX. 

Sandals of Service 



. 151 

X. 

Glory Struggles through the Fog 

. 166 

XL 

Life to the Dead . 



. 182 

XII. 

A Prisoner of God 



. 194 

XIII. 

Justice Cries Aloud 



. 208 

XIV. 

Shipwreck and Miracles 



. 220 

XV. 

Bondage of Rome . 



. 228 


r 






i 


V 


THE LIFE OF 
PAUL OF TARSUS 


CHAPTER I 
A CHILD OF CILICIA 

The autobiography of Paul, the beloved apos¬ 
tle, contained in his epistles, reveals a great inner 
sanctuary of close discipleship to the Christ mind. 
With the golden key of demonstrable Christianity, 
Paul opened wide the portals of Christian churches 
to all mankind. His human footsteps led him up 
to the mount of clear vision and understanding, 
qualifying him to interpret human action spiritu¬ 
ally and leave lessons of importance for the pages 
of immortality. A shroud of tradition envelops 
his early life, but an illuminating stream of light 
issued from his mature consciousness, enlightening 
and reflecting a healing lustre into the dark places 
of earth. Through the lives of Jesus, Saint John 
the Divine, and Paul, early Christianity became 
flrmly established. 

At the time Paul was born in Tarsus, by the river 

9 


THE LIFE OF 


Cydnus of Cilicia, Jesus was a gentle little boy, 
living in the peaceful glen of Galilee. How far 
apart their childhood days were in the background 
of thought as well as of distance! Tarsus was 
then a bustling city on the banks of the Cydnus, 
upon whose glistening wide surface cargoes of 
incoming and outgoing goods moved to and fro 
daily. When he was eight days old, his father 
and mother gave him two names: Saul and Paul. 
''SauP' was the one they preferred, because 
Saul, the first king of the Jews, was especially 
beloved by PauFs father, who bore himself proudly 
as one of the tribe of Benjamin. Later, Saul'' 
was changed to ^'PauL' in token of his change 
of religion. 

The naming of a son was a glad event in every 
Jewish home. A neighborhood supper followed 
the family festivities to which friends were invited 
to rejoice with the proud parents. Baptism, such 
as we are familiar with, was not the ceremony 
observed, but rather the circumcision, as required 
by the strict law of the Jews. Much emphasis 
was put upon this ceremony, because the words 
of Moses concerning it were interpreted to mean 
that no son without this mark of circumcision 
could enter heaven. So rigidly was this custom 

10 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


kept, that it proved a Jewish stumbling-block to 
membership in the Christian church. 

By the first big event in his baby days, Paul 
became identified with the strictest sect of Phari¬ 
sees, for he was now a circumcised member of his . 
tribe, in duty bound to the absolutely literal 
practice of all the commands of Moses, and 
obedience to all the dictinns of priest and teacher. 
Strict religious regulations dominated even the 
household routine which protected, governed, 
and influenced Paul's early life. 

As is customary in all countries during the ten¬ 
der years of life, the principal care of Paul fell to 
his mother. Every maternal desire and effort 
was directed toward training her boy to be a 
good Jew, dedicated to the service of God. 
This fervent desire, her daily petition, was to be 
answered, but not in the manner which she pic¬ 
tured to herself during this early period of her 
boy's life. 

Paul enjoyed accompan3dng his mother on her 
many errands to market, field, and spring. It 
was a merry little lad with sharp, grey eyes, and 
hair of ebony, who would perch himself upon his 
mother's shoulders or patter along at her side over 
the hot stones, holding her skirts when an uneven 

11 


THE LIFE OF 


step threatened a tumble. The mother was proud 
of her rosy-cheeked son. She fondly believed that 
he would grow up to be a great man of God. 
This maternal confidence in PauFs divine voca¬ 
tion proved a very lasting infiuence in his life. 

Like all little boys, he loved to dig his toes into 
the dirt and to pick up sticks and stones and throw 
them to test his strength. When his small legs were 
firm enough for him to walk without wabbling or 
tumbling, his mother took him with her to the 
synagogue. 

Tenderly she would wash his small feet, as cere¬ 
monial rule commanded, before they were qualified 
to sit together behind the screen of stone lattice 
and, unobserved, watch the men in front. Al¬ 
though a white veil covered the mother's head, 
her intent dark eyes easily distinguished Paul's 
father in the company of men within, sitting 
upon the stone floor gazing up into the grave 
face of the teacher, who sat upon a raised plat¬ 
form. When Paul's soft lips were only just 
beginning to form wee words at his mother's 
coaxing, he first heard the teacher pray and 
read and preach. He understood little of what 
he heard, but his mother told him more simply 
about the sacred truths. As she taught him, 

12 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


holy dreams of the coming glory of his man¬ 
hood filled her heart — ambitious dreams of love 
for her boy! As she gazed through the stone 
lattice, a lustre came into her eyes at the 
thought that some day her grown son would be 
out there among the men, and then, a little later, 
he would become their teacher, the greatest of 
them all. The greatest of them all I 
He began to walk in the path his people had 
laid out. He was a city child, who was to grow 
up amid the din of crowds and to brush elbows 
with men of all sorts, in treading its restless pave¬ 
ments. But he came to know also the beautiful 
environs of Tarsus. Child eyes watched from 
the windows of their home the seasonal changes 
of coloring in the hills. Even on the hottest days 
in Tarsus, snow-covered peaks could be outlined 
against the blue skies. On a clear day the Medi¬ 
terranean Sea sparkled in the distance like a 
sapphire worn by Cilicia on its bosom. The lower 
slopes of the lofty hills around Tarsus were 
clothed with velvety green pines and belts of fir, 
while oak, sycamore, ash, and walnut trees in 
matted thickness engaged the vision along the 
roads. In the springtime, the Cydnus river gushed 
and foamed its dashing way downward, enticing 

13 


THE LIFE OF 


smaller, less daring streams to follow in the wake 
of its rush to the sea below. Tapering poplar- 
trees swayed like brave sentinels by the riverside. 
The foliage of cypress, mulberry, apple, cherry, 
pomegranate, and of the silver olive was there 
also, to assist nature in achieving the miracle of 
her aeolian symphonies. 

Paul early became responsive to the music of 
trees and birds and streams. He lingered with the 
others in the dancing shadows beneath boughs 
where little children loved to play. Pastures, 
fields of nodding grain, and yielding vineyards 
dotted the rich meadows by the riverside. The 
honeysuckle, which sent its fragrance into the 
country air, served to intertwine the branches of 
the trees so that they choired in unison with the 
song of the breezes. Wild vines in their creepings 
traced designs upon the trees and walls which they 
caressed. Huts for stock were scattered here and 
there in search of protection, nestling in fruit 
orchards or securely surrounded by walls of stone 
or lofty hedges. 

The Tarsus of Paul’s childhood was a busy, 
prosperous city. As a lad of five, he loved to 
walk down to the waterside, and watch the big 
ships with their strange cargoes enter the harbor 

14 


PAUL OF TARSUS 

and sail up the great, wide river. There were 
many well-landscaped gardens and beautifully 
built palaces on the banks of the Cydnus. And 
at this time Tarsus possessed an open-air theatre, 
one of the first in all history. Famous schools 
congregated in the city. Platonists, Peripatetics, 
and Epicureans taught their respective systems. 
Their curriculum, called Encyclopaedic, covered 
rhetoric, mathematics, ethics, dialectics, grammar, 
music, various forms of athletics, which included 
boxing, racing, and swimming, and famous courses 
in poetry and oratory. Tarsus had been renowned 
as a city of pulture long before PauFs birth in the 
narrow little street where his countrymen lived 
and closely observed their own sacred laws. But 
to-day. Tarsus is nothing but a prosaic, sleepy, 
Turkish town of little importance, with few signs 
that it was once one of the most famous cities 
of the Roman Empire. 

Homer is said to have spent some time there, 
as did Aristotle, the great philosopher, and 
Sophoclesy the tragic poet of Greece. Cicero, 
Euclid, Horace, Vergil, Archimedes, and Phidias, 
the sculptor, all knew Tarsus. Paul probably 
drank from these wells of knowledge in his own 
schooldays, but his mother was his first teacher. 

15 


THE LIFE OF 


His innocent child mind opened itself naturally 
to her instructions. Her Jewish idealism wove 
the pattern of her religious life deeply into its 
texture. Duty was a prime essential to her; 
strict obedience, a law. He was admonished that 
the Bible was to be reverenced and studied. While 
he could not always follow the lessons chanted in 
the synagogue, comprising the laws of Moses and 
the traditions, his mother explained them little by 
little, the best she could, and time clarified them. 
He began the work of obedience to them with 
characteristic zeal, learning to lisp verses of the 
Psalms very early. 

On summer evenings a warm glow of the setting 
sun, against the hills back of Tarsus, mantled the 
departing day in pastel shades of beauty. Then 
night bedecked her robe with stars for jewels. 
Those bewitching Tarsus nights on the fiat house¬ 
top at his mother's side, Paul always remembered. 
There it was that he first heard the stories of 
David, the shepherd boy, who slew a bear and 
then a lion that came to kill his father's sheep, and 
who later succeeded Saul as king. Intently he 
listened to the tale of Solomon, the wisest of 
Jewish kings, who, at the time of his anointing, 
caused a seat for his mother to be placed at his 

16 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


right hand before all the people; also of the ancient 
prophet, Elijah, who hid in a cave because of the 
threats of the people against his life, and was fed 
by the wild ravens. Paul thus got to know of 
the beautiful Queen Esther, the daughter of a 
poor Jew, who became queen of Persia and saved 
the lives of all her exiled countrymen in that king¬ 
dom. The Eastern idyll of Ruth, the daughter of 
the accursed Moab, of a race excluded from the 
congregation, who married Boaz, of the first family 
of the tribe of Judah, and became the grandmother 
of David, the shepherd king, this and other tradi¬ 
tions of his race gave the lad his conception of 
life. 

With special tenderness the mother told Paul 
the story of little Samuel, dedicated also, like 
her own son, to God's service by his mother, 
and taken to live with the priests in the tent of 
God while still a small boy. In his manhood 
Samuel became a great prophet and so great 
was his influence that he appointed Saul king of 
Israel. 

Ezra and Nehemiah, the Puritans of Jewish 
history, also became familiar figures to the boy 
in these enjoyable story-telling hours. 

When the crisp winter nights came, the wooden 

17 


THE LIFE OF 


shutters of the small windows were tightly drawn 
to keep out sharp winds, and the family sat about 
an oil lamp, snug and comfortable indoors. The 
mother’s nimble fingers would be ^pinning blue 
wool for garments for Paul and her several other 
children. Love traced every stitch as she sewed, 
and carefully embroidered threads of blue and 
bright red around the neck of Paul’s coat, which 
reminded her of Joseph’s coat of many colors. 

At such a time she told Paul the story of that 
shepherd boy; how his unprincipled brothers sold 
him for a slave, and of his becoming, later, the 
chief officer of the great king. Pharaoh. He heard 
the story, well loved by all children, of Moses, 
the beautiful Hebrew babe, who was found by 
an Egyptian princess, floating in a basket amongst 
the reeds at the side of the river Nile, and brought 
up, by her, as her own child. In his manhood 
days this chosen leader stood before the great 
Pharaoh and demanded that he should set free all 
the Jews who were slaves in Egypt. Then one 
dark night he was solemnly assured, for the angel 
of Death passed through the land. 

Paul listened with a child’s awe and wonder, to 
the tale of this memorable night and the name of 
''Passover” it received because that dark angel 

18 


PAUL OF TARSUS 

had passed over all the Jewish houses while he 
had taken the first-born from every Eg3rptian 
home. The next day, so the tale ran, King 
Pharaoh ordered them to leave the country, and 
Moses led them out. At a mountain named Sinai, 
in the midst of billowing clouds of smoke, Moses 
obtained ten great commandments, to be forever 
known as the Commandments of God. They 
were written on two fiat stones, significant of in¬ 
destructibility. All Jewish children were told of 
the magnificence of the temple at Jerusalem, and 
they were early inspired with the hope of some 
day visiting it. Her boy could not understand 
why tears glistened in his mother's eyes as she 
told him how Maccabean heroes roused the people 
to throw off the foreign yoke, and of their losing 
the battle for freedom, after the hated Romans 
had conquered their beloved country. 

From his mother, Paul learned of the prophecy 
regarding a Messiah who was to be the Saviour of 
their country, and to succeed in driving out the 
Romans. The mother explained to him how the 
day of deliverance would be postponed until the 
day they became a holy people. Indeed she spoke 
the truth, for right-mindedness, right-heartedness, 
and righteousness of soul alone deliver and set free. 

19 


THE LIFE OF 


There are no stories so treasured, no ideas so in- 
wrought, and no ambitions so deep-seated as those 
our minds receive in childhood from mother lips. 
Much that Paul expressed throughout his early 
life was but a harvest from these first sowings of 
his mother's thoughts. 

A parchment bearing the inscription: Hear, 0 
Israel, God is One God," rested in a bright metal 
box several inches long, fastened securely to the 
side of the door of their house. Every one who 
went in or out lifted his hand and touched it 
reverently, and his finger caressed it significantly 
as he murmured a prayer. Even before Paul could 
speak, he tried to reach the shining box with his 
tiny hand in passing, as he observed the others 
doing. As soon as he learned to walk, he was 
taught to kneel in prayer with his face toward 
Jerusalem. With hands upraised together he 
would repeat the same morning and evening 
prayers which his mother had been taught in her 
own girlhood. 

This Paul was an alert, curious lad. He wanted 
to know things. For instance, why his face should 
always be turned in the direction of Jerusalem. 
His mother willingly explained that it was because 
God dwelt in a great golden temple there, behind 

20 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


a great purple curtain. He was told of a prophet 
named Daniel who prayed night and morning, 
while exiled in Babylon, with his window opened 
toward Jerusalem and who, because he would not 
obey the king's order to refrain from this worship, 
was cast into a den of lions. Daniel was so con¬ 
fident that God's power was with him that the 
lions felt his fearlessness and did not harm him. 
All of Daniel's many previous fervent prayers con¬ 
tributed to encase his soul in the panoply of loving 
protection which served him so well in that experi¬ 
ence. As in all ages, complete surrender to God's 
care warded off harm from him. 

All too soon, the mother thought, Paul grew old 
enough for his teaching to be taken from her ex¬ 
clusive care, and shared with a man instructor. 
Tarsus rabbis advised the parents, at the time he 
was between five and six years of age, that he should 
begin work which would prepare him to become a 
pupil in the synagogue school. The father was 
appointed his chief instructor for this important 
period. 

At this point Paul began to memorize religious 
songs and sayings of the Jews. Every well- 
brought-up Jewish youth could repeat from a 
hundred to several thousand. He began with the 

21 


THE LIFE OF 


Commandments, which he recited to his mother, 
then continued through the Old Testament, and 
the collection of traditional explanations of the 
meaning of what he had memorized, outlined by 
learned rabbis. At five years of age Paul began 
a course of study which was to continue for twenty- 
five years and grow more profound as he progressed. 

It was a Sabbath custom for Paul to climb 
upon his father’s knee and recite for his parents all 
the verses he had learned during the preceding 
week. The beaming face of the proud mother was 
never at any great distance during these recitations. 

Paul learned how Moses stood in the open camp 
space between black tents, under the shadow of 
the mountain of clouds and fire, and summoned 
the people to choose between happiness and sor¬ 
row. ''I set before you this day a blessing and a 
curse: a blessing if you obey the commandments 
of God as I command you this day: a curse if you 
will not obey them, but turn aside from the true 
way to follow after idols.” 

As he studied the Psalms, Paul was thrilled to 
learn that they were written to be sung to the 
music of silver trumpets by bands of white-robed 
Levites and boys, as they stood on the wide, 
white steps of the golden temple, while worshipping 

22 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


people listened in the wide, open square below, in 
religious stillness and half-reverential fear. 

When little Paul was six, a bearded stranger 
began his instruction. He was now going to 
school. Unlike a modern school, the classroom 
was a dingy alcove of the synagogue, which was 
without seats or desks, and no pictures decorated 
its monotonous walls. No books were used; it 
was all memory work to be learned by rote. The 
studying which Paul did from five until six pre¬ 
pared him to recite in the synagogue classes. This 
memorizing of the entire contents of five books of 
the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, 
Numbers, and Deuteronomy, called the Penta¬ 
teuch, constituted Pauhs early Biblical training. 
They were written with a stylus or pen, on broad 
rolls of parchment resembling wall-paper, and were 
kept rolled up upon two sticks when not in use. 
Learned teachers knew accurately every word of 
the five books, which were also known as ^^The 
Books of the Laws.’' 


23 


THE LIFE OF 


CHAPTER II 

THE MOLD OF TRADITION 

When Paul left his home to begin school, his 
mother felt a pang of sadness, for the child presence 
had meant a great joy to her. Commencing his 
studies under learned priests at six indicated that 
he would continue with them until he reached 
manhood. The mother, at various times, paused 
at the synagogue and proudly looked through the 
doorway to see her son, in his bright homemade 
little jacket, sitting cross-legged among twenty or 
more boys of the city. Little students looked up 
toward a raised platform where their teacher sat 
solemnly nodding his kerchiefed head. The chil¬ 
dren's singsong lesson repetitions resounded in her 
ears as she returned home through a secluded 
thoroughfare. 

It was some time before this, that the mother 
had made PauTs prayer shawl, patterned after 
that of his father. Smaller in size than the 
father’s, it had blue tassels at the comers, and 
was worn beneath his tunic. Paul realized that he 

24 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


must never don the shawl in the morning without 
repeating an appropriate short prayer. 

On Thursdays and Sundays when he went to 
synagogue service, he wore his best tunic of striped 
blue and yellow and green. His thick black hair 
hung about his shoulders over the shawl, which was 
carefully made of thin cloth of one solid color with 
eight threads of wool dyed a hyacinth blue, signi¬ 
fying the belief that God^s throne was of that color. 

Fringe and tassels were regarded as sacred 
accessories of the Jewish wardrobe. Paul was 
taught the proper placement of the shawl about 
his head for prayers in the synagogue. He knew 
well the verses in which Moses commanded the 
people to wear tassels on their garments. During 
the prayer hour in the temple synagogue, little 
boys reverently raised tassels to their lips. On 
sunny mornings when Paul donned his tiny shawl, 
and a large outer one, he repeated: ''Blessed art 
Thou, 0 Lord, King of the world, who hast made 
us perfect with Thy commandments and hast given 
us the law of fringes.'' 

The shawls signified that the owner was one of 
God's chosen ones. There is little wonderment 
that Paul's attitude early became distinctly Phari¬ 
saical. He was instructed that other faiths were 

25 


THE LIFE OF 


evil and valueless. His school was called ''The 
Vineyard/' because young students were likened 
unto vines that had to be guided and taught to 
climb and bear fruit. 

Naturally Paul spoke Hebrew at home with his 
family, and also learned Greek, the language of 
the townspeople. Parental customs became his 
own. He learned the reason why his people 
watched the blue sky eagerly for a first sight of 
the new moon, why his mother lighted a candle 
for each one in the house on a certain night, and 
then for eight nights the number of candles was 
increased until all their home was illumined with 
candle-light. How that light shone upon the laws 
of Moses for the worshippers! Reverence was 
inspired through reviewing the historical record 
of Moses' leadership. 

He had led the Jews out of slavery in Egypt 
and they had wandered about forty years living 
in tents, either sheltered by huge mountain rocks, 
or spread out on the warm space of shifting 
prodigal sands. Moses brought them up to the 
mountains in Moab and showed them beautiful 
Canaan which he promised would some day be 
their own. 

The land with its green vales and sparkling 

26 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


streams afforded a refreshing sight and became 
known as ^^a land flowing with milk and honey/' 
Moses died on Mount Nebo. Joshua, the flght- 
ing leader, brought his people across the Jordan 
River to territory approaching Jericho, to conquer 
the land. Moses had instructed them to fight 
and destroy all the people of the country — men, 
women, and children—sparing no one. The tribes 
of Amalekites, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, and 
Canaanites possessed the land, and Moses' follow¬ 
ers were not permitted to have anything to do 
with the foreigners nor with any of the idols they 
worshipped. 

Of course Paul asked if it were not cruel to 
slay and to destroy, but he received parental as¬ 
surance that in that particular instance it was the 
commandment of God according to Moses, there¬ 
fore right. At a very early age he was convinced 
that the Jews were God's chosen people, and that it 
was wrong to have anything whatever to do with 
strangers. Paul read well at the age of eight. He 
learned his letters by tracing them on smooth 
sand; and was then entitled to a piece of wood for 
class use. His father decided at this time that he 
was old enough to read the cherished books of 
Moses correctly, so he brought out the large brown 

27 



THE LIFE OF 


roll from a box. Pride reigned in the household 
as Paul read about the Tabernacle, the divine tent 
in which people worshipped God —a tent that was 
made of strong purple cloth and wild-animal skins 
dyed scarlet —and with a mysterious cloud ever 
hanging over it! 

Paul spent many hours splashing and swimming 
in the river, for he thoroughly enjoyed outdoor 
sports, and in Tarsus he witnessed many skilled 
athletic contests. In the autumn he went with his 
father to the vineyards. He watched the workers 
cut great strong clusters of purple grapes from the 
vines and toss them into baskets. He knew where 
the grapes grew wild, and often his chubby hands 
gathered them to eat with his brown bread. 

The world moves before youth's gaze as a mag¬ 
nified, marvelous pageant, and this was true in 
Paul's experience. An intense love of the water 
and boats surged within the lad. For hours he 
stood mute upon the wharf, watching the boats 
move up the river. He liked to watch for small 
wooden figureheads attached to the front of boats, 
used by superstitious sailors as talismen. Foreign 
ships with wide eyes painted on one side entered the 
harbor. He saw strong men with copper-red faces 
from Egypt, blacks from Africa, and merry singing 

28 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


fellows in red and blue caps from distant ports of 
the isles of Crete, of Cyprus and of Rhodes. 
Numerous sailors were there from distant ports of 
Italy, Greece, Syria, and Palestine. The boy 
realized that the world of men was vast,' for his 
speculative eyes saw many evidences of that fact. 
Throngs of men passed the waterfront, marketing 
their wares. Mules moped by, carrying upon 
their backs oil and wines in black leather bottles 
and red earthenware. Paul chuckled when shout¬ 
ing signals of an eager pilot rang out, followed by 
those of the captain and jolly replies from sailors 
who were eager to cast off ropes and press out to 
sea again. Paul loved the sea and its men. The 
harbor of Tarsus was an intensely interesting place, 
and for the remainder of his life it recalled the 
vibrating impressions of his childhood. 

All children of Tarsus were told the story of the 
most wonderful ship that ever entered the harbor. 
It was that of Cleopatra, the beautiful queen of 
Egypt, who entered Tarsus to meet the renowned 
general, Mark Antony. That happened many 
years before Paul was bom, but he was familiar 
with the story. What an entrance Cleopatra 
had made in her gorgeous floating palace! Old 
residents of Tarsus delighted in unraveling the 

29 


THE LIFE OF 


yarn to the youth of the day. Both sides of the 
river were massed with curious, bobbing human 
beings on that memorable day of Cleopatra’s 
arrival, as crowds now congregate for modem 
regattas. 

Cleopatra was famous for her beauty and wealth. 
It was a perfect day when the enchanting boat 
floated across the water sparkling with dancing 
sunbeams, beneath a gold-streaked sky. The first 
glimpse the crowds caught of the boat was of a tall 
mast with streaming ribbons of crimson, blue, and 
yellow. Then the purple sails, looped up with 
white ropes, appeared as the golden boat moved 
in close to shore. On the gilded bow rising high 
out of the water appeared a bevy of lovely girls in 
robes of glistening golden yellow, pale green, and 
blue tones of the sea. They represented sea maid¬ 
ens, and won much admiration for their beauty. 

Large, broad oars dipped deeply into the placid 
water and languidly lifted into the sunlight as the 
people gasped, for the oars were of pure, shining 
silver, which flashed and dipped in costly rhythm 
to sweet melodies floating from harps and flutes 
on board. The high stem of the boat, shaped 
like a house, was covered with sparkling jewels. 
Little boys representing Cupid wore shining roses 

30 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


and snowy white wings and fanned the queen with 
enormous fans of peacock feathers. Cleopatra 
came to Tarsus to charm as Venus, the queen of 
love, and naught but loveliness surrounded her 
entourage. Her lips were carefully tinted, her 
eyebrows blackened, and her finger-tips stained 
with crocus. 

Paul wondered, as he stood on the bank of the 
Cydnus, just how that golden boat had looked 
as it sailed majestically into the harbor. He 
pictured it vividly with his mind's eye. 

Tarsus held fairs in those days. Certain seasons 
brought shepherds down from the hills to sell long¬ 
haired sheep, black and white goats, horses, asses, 
camels, pigs, and cattle. The city shops sur¬ 
rounded an open square. They had open stalls, 
movable sheds, and tables with tent-canopy shades 
of color combinations of brown and black or yellow 
and red over them for protection from intense sum¬ 
mer heat or sudden mercurial showers. Paul's 
father was a prosperous tent-maker. He ren¬ 
dered some service to the Romans and was honored 
with Roman citizenship, which naturally became 
Paul's also. His patrons included many Romans 
as well as Jews. He combined the business of 
weaving with that of tent-making. Cilicium 

31 


THE LIFE OF 


was the strong haircloth utilized for tent-covers. 
It was manufactured from the long hair of 
Cilician goats which fed among the hills. 

Paul accompanied his father to his shop to watch 
the work there, because he understood that in 
future years he must follow the vocation of his 
father. Sandal-makers and slipper-makers worked 
in a shed in the mark:.c place. A man, sitting 
cross-legged on the floor, cut up hides with a sharp 
knife, sewing them together with needle and thread. 
Makers of saddles and harnesses were there, weav¬ 
ers of carpets, rugs, shawls, and fine scarves — 
thick wool for men and thin white linen for girls — 
and strong goaPs-hair cloth designed for ship sails 
and shepherds' tents. The "'hand of the potter" 
was there also, spinning jugs and bowls on muddy 
wheels, with a display of flne dishes and cups of 
all sizes and shapes. Dagger-makers, cabinet¬ 
makers, bakers and confectioners, perfumers, and 
barbers carried on their various activities there. 

There was one spot in Tarsus where tragedy 
breathed the hot breath of injustice and agony. 
It was the slave-market of Tarsus. What were 
Paul's thoughts as he watched young boys and 
girls being sold in the market, families being sepa¬ 
rated never again to be united? To the child 

32 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


mind, slavery meant an accepted custom. He was 
to gain in maturity the real interpretation of free¬ 
dom. 

Friday was a reverenced day in Paul's home. 
His father left his work early and, upon arriving 
home, his wife, Paul, and the others of the family 
were dressed in their best clothes. The special 
dinner of the day was served on a white table-cloth. 
The Sabbath lamp cast cheerful rays across fresh 
blossoms, warm baked bread, and wine. When 
the father entered, he touched the little bright box 
at the door and kissed his finger, saying, The Lord 
shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in." 
His hand rested lovingly upon Paul's head as he 
said, ''May God make thee as Ephraim and 
Manasseh!" The blessing poured upon the head 
of Paul's sister was "May God make thee as Sarah 
and Rebekah!" 

Their Sabbath always began when the sun 
sank beyond the hills and a first star sparkled 
as prologue to shadowing night. A trumpet then 
sounded from the synagogue while silver trumpets 
resounded simultaneously from the roofs of the 
golden temple far away in Jerusalem. The father 
asked a blessing to rest upon all the household, be¬ 
fore sitting down to their meal. One of the chil- 

33 


THE LIFE OF 


dren held a basin of water into which the father 
poured a cup of red wine. The family stood 
around the basin and tasted of the wine, as the 
father repeated a few words of God^s law, pertain¬ 
ing to the Sabbath day. Then breaking the fresh 
bread, he dipped a small piece into salt before he 
handed it to each one of the family. 

Then they sat down to their meal, which con¬ 
sisted of soup, fish, bread, milk, fruit, and raisin 
wine. Later, they all joined in thanksgiving 
chanting. 

They believed that any man laboring on the 
Sabbath well deserved the death penalty. There 
was a well-known story of the man who was found 
on the Sabbath gathering sticks for a fire and 
who was punished, as Moses ordered, by being 
stoned outside the camp of black tents. 

When the morning of the Sabbath dawned, no 
smoke was seen to emerge in ascending circles from 
chimneys of the Jews^ dwellings as on other days. 
Paul's father believed it sinful to carry a walking- 
stick on the Sabbath day. As he grew, Paul 
began to study his father's conduct in the syna¬ 
gogue. He carefully watched the service through 
the screen and saw his father enter and take off his 
shoes and tie his phylacteries on arm and brow 

34 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


before walking to a seat in front of the beautiful 
curtain. Singing in the synagogue was permissible 
only on festival days. 

Paul watched Roman soldiers with fascinated 
gaze, for they were picturesque in their glittering 
uniforms, and generally inspired a sense of awe in 
him. But his father frowned upon the debauch¬ 
eries and wild revelries which commemorated their 
numerous queens and idols. Roman idolatry was 
revolting to quiet God-fearing Jews of Tarsus. 

Paul reverenced their Jewish festivities which 
were so enriched with sacred meaning. The festi¬ 
val of First-Fruits occurred every June. At that 
time children went to the synagogue with their 
small necks bedecked with flowers of red and blue, 
and carrying garlands in their hands. Hundreds 
of small white willow baskets were placed before 
the wonderful curtain and the altar's constantly 
burning lamp. The fruits and grain were a thank 
offering to God for the first and best of the year's 
produce. Each month there was the celebration 
known as the festival of the new moon. Blessed 
art Thou, 0 God, who renewest the moons!" The 
first new moon of the year was greeted with the 
merriment of trumpet-blowing, and this glad season 
was known as the festival of trumpets. 

35 


THE LIFE OF 


Paul learned the oral traditions, besides the five 
books of the Old Testament. At ten years he had 
mastered the Bible and read perfectly in two lan¬ 
guages. He read of Samson, the Jewish judge, who 
was said to have tied brands to the tails of foxes 
which ran into the Philistines’ corn, and of Jehu’s 
furious chariot-driving which terrified the people. 

The elder sister of Paul seemed closer to him, in 
his early life, than other children of the family. 
Eventually she became betrothed when he was 
a lad in his teens. Notice was given in the syna¬ 
gogue some weeks before the marriage ceremony, 
and when the chosen Wednesday arrived, there 
was rejoicing. The young girl was bedecked with 
flowers and covered entirely with a thick white veil 
over her white wedding gown. She awaited the 
coming of the bridegroom in their home, which was 
decorated lavishly for the event, and filled with 
merry guests. 

Friends of the bridegroom furnished singing, 
dancing, and the music of clashing cymbals and 
clicking castanets. Families and guests appeared 
in their richest festival attire. The delicately per¬ 
fumed bridegroom arrived, with his long, black hair 
oiled and curled beneath an appropriate flower 
wreath. He led the bride from her parental home 

36 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


with pomp, and, amid cheers of the merrymakers, 
he placed her upon the ass which waited to carry 
her safely to his own home. A procession of young 
girls bearing lanterns on thin sticks joined in the 
celebration and marched along toward the bride¬ 
groom's abode. Upon their arrival there, the 
bride was tenderly carried from the saddle of the 
ass into the house. The marriage feast then 
followed, during which the bride sat coyly at the 
groom's side, the veil still covering her face. 

Paul was now old enough to celebrate the week 
of the Passover with his father. It was a festival 
time in April, when flowers blanketed the ground, a 
renewal season much loved in Tarsus. 

The Festival of Tabernacles was spectacular. 
This observance, as recorded in the Bible presents 
the first definite Thanksgiving season specifically 
set aside for the purpose of praising God for his 
manifold blessings. In Tarsus, the festival came 
in torrid October, when vineyards groaned with 
royal abundance of purple grapes beneath a hot 
autumn sun. Children accompanied their parents 
into the woods and watched them cut large 
branches from silvery olive-grey willows, palms, 
myrtle-trees, and fir-trees, which they carried home 

for their house-roof festival bowers and open court- 

37 


THE LIFE OF 


yards. Ropes of flowers were hung along the 
street walls, and colorful garlands draped from 
house to house in the streets of the Jewish quarters. 

The experience of the ancient Israelites in 
tents inspired this yearly celebration of the 
Festival of Tabernacles. Reverently they com¬ 
memorated the wandering of their ancestors across 
the changing, yellow desert sands, and their tenting 
against bare rocks of the great empty spaces. 
The gay arrangement of the streets and yards 
enabled the Jews to move from their houses and 
live in temporary bowers for a week or longer. 
October nights were superb with perfect moon¬ 
light which shone as a shadowed day of magic 
silver. The season was spent in joyful thanks¬ 
giving ; children laughed and danced in the sun- ^ 
beams that filtered through the leafy layers of 
the green canopy. At night the magic October 
moon smiled a blessing upon them in these narrow 
streets where traditions lived with burning fervor. 

The keynote of PauFs early life was an intense 
love of religious worship. He believed that the 
""greatest thing in the world'' was to worship God 
with all the heart and soul and mind, and to keep 
the commandments of Moses. 


38 


I 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


CHAPTER III 

SACRED PILGRIMAGE 

Great preparations stirred within PauPs home 
when his father decided to join the pilgrims on 
their yearly trip to the golden temple of Jerusalem. 
The father went into the deep woods and cut a 
thick stick as tall as himself to carry with him. 
He mended the harness of the ass very carefully 
and hung fresh, new tassels of red, yellow, and 
green at the little animaTs neck, and new fringe over 
his nose. The Tarsus pilgrims started their sacred 
journey toward Jerusalem in the early dawn. 
Paul and his mother journeyed with them to the 
outskirts of the city to bid farewell to the father. 
Thousands of men, waving palms, and animals 
heavily laden, moved forward with their gifts 
for the beloved golden temple. What a sight for 
the lad! With his mother he watched them march 
on into the distance, to the rhythm of their song. 
Slowly the multitude of green palm-branches dis¬ 
appeared on the winding road toward Adana, and 
the low murmur of distant voices whispered into 
silence. 


39 


THE LIFE OF 


The holy city with its golden temple! To visit 
the golden temple was the hope of every good Jew. 
Pilgrims from all countries of the earth poured into 
the golden portals once a year to pay tribute and 
commune with God. 

As Paul and his mother returned home, they 
stopped and watched the foaming sprays of the 
Falls of Cydnus burst in shining crystals over 
grey rocks. Drooping ferns and soft mosses 
covered damp rocks with bronze and emerald 
gilt. Paul must have been thrilled with the 
grandeur of it all, as American boys are with the 
vision of Yosemite Falls, foaming, leaping, gur¬ 
gling with the laugh of centuries, or of Niagara 
with its all pervading mist. Divine creation spoke 
to the lad from all of nature’s nooks and crannies. 
He learned well to "'consider the heavens, the 
work of Thine hands, the moon and the stars 
which Thou hast ordained.” 

So seasons came again and again and melted 
into ascending years with proverbial sameness, 
and Paul reached the wonderful age of thirteen. 
It was a year of importance, for in Tarsus a youth 
of that age was expected to meditate seriously 
upon his life mission — the life calling. Paul 
had already mastered the laws of Moses, now he 

40 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


faced daily the problem of walking strictly in the 
paths of their teaching. He would soon be of 
sufficient worthiness to be called a ''son of God’' 
in the synagogue. 

He was examined in religious solemnity and 
declared trustworthy to have phylacteries bound 
upon his arm and brow in the synagogue. This, 
in a way, sealed his manhood before the rab¬ 
bis. Phylacteries were carefully prepared. Four 
scriptural texts were written in Hebrew, with 
special ink, upon tiny pieces of parchment, and 
placed in a small box of black calfskin, to which 
were attached two straps of skin of about half an 
inch in width and long enough for fastening. 

When this important day in Paul’s thirteenth 
year arrived, he stood in the dim light of the syna¬ 
gogue, while a dignified grey-haired official placed 
a small black box upon his bare left arm and care¬ 
fully twined two thongs seven times around his 
arm, gradually down and around his hand three 
times, then down to his middle finger, and tied 
them there in a secure knot. Henceforth he could 
never enter a synagogue for worship without first 
binding the phylacteries upon his arm. He would 
be privileged to wear one on his brow later if his 
obedience to the laws and traditions warranted. 

41 


THE LIFE OF 


During the synagogue ceremony, a mother sat 
back of the stone screen, her face pressed close to 
the lattice. Tears of gratitude glistened like 
jewels in her eyes. With her pride and happiness 
there was also a pang of regret, for Paul, her 
beloved son, would never again sit there with her 
back of the screen. He could now wear on his 
arm the sacred verses which read in part, ^Ht 
shall be a sign unto thee upon thine eyes, that the 
law of God may be in thy mouth. Thou shalt 
diligently keep the commandments of God and 
His laws."' 

Paul's lessons in the synagogue school being 
concluded, he entered into complicated study 
courses assigned to college students. There was 
an ancient Jewish belief that a father who did 
not teach his son a trade wished him to become a 
thief. Although he was being instructed to become 
a rabbi and teacher, his father realized that it 
was a paternal duty to teach him his trade also. 
This training was begun by first teaching Paul the 
texture of cloth, its trade and valuations. Some 
of the cilicium materials were so hard that they 
appeared to be waterproof. He learned to make 
ship-sails, grain-sacks, rough garments for sailors 
and fishermen, and good strong tent-covers. The 

42 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


open shed where Paul and his father worked 
held looms and other paraphernalia necessary for 
their business. The looms were of a primitive 
model which is to-day almost extinct. Trades¬ 
men traveled some distance for the necessary 
raw materials. Twice a year Paul's father 
journeyed far up winding mountain paths to 
barter with shepherds, and purchase materials 
for weaving. His train of asses returned laden 
with sacks of hair for spinning into thread. 

Dyes from berries and tree-bark were used to 
obtain lustrous shades of red, blue, purple, brown, 
yellow, and green. Shepherds preferred the tent- 
covers woven with bold, broad stripes. Modern 
color schemes displayed in awnings and umbrellas 
for seaside and garden use perhaps originated in 
that day when the first striped tenting nestled 
upon the shepherds' green hilltops. 

Women were engaged to spin the hair. They 
blended bright colors artistically into harmonious 
ensembles, winding thread upon spindles with 
nimble fingers and putting the thread into the 
weaver's shuttle. Spinning had to be learned 
before the weaving, so Paul quietly stood by and 
watched this work for hours at a time. He soon 
gained a practical, thorough knowledge of the 

43 


THE LIFE OF 


trade. His parents firmly believed in correct, 
methodical beginnings in all things. They taught 
him that the greatness of building meant first, 
a right foundation. 

Spinning was easy, Paul thought, but the weav¬ 
ing took more alertness and a certain dexterous 
knowledge. Being short of stature, Paul looked 
like a younger child as he stood, day after day, 
perfecting a beginner's work in his father's estab¬ 
lishment, placing the web on the loom for various 
kinds of cloth, filling and threading a shuttle, 
throwing it from side to side and catching it before 
it fell to the ground, then pushing the heavy beam 
of wood and pressing the thread with patient care. 
For a youth who could repeat all the Old Testa¬ 
ment books from memory, learning a simple weav¬ 
ing trade did not present much of a test. 

He learned to do tedious work obediently. Then 
he finally learned to make a tent. Many long, 
weary hours tested the boy's patience while he 
labored with a large bronze needle and thick thread, 
sewing together pieces of heavy haircloth. Care¬ 
fully the tent edges were united, that the driving 
rains and sweeping winds might not molest the 
tent-dweller who purchased his home from Paul's 
father. This trade experience developed patience, 

44 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


and without rebellion he endured many severe 
needle pricks. Although he preferred a ball game 
out in the open, obedience prevailed. He learned 
what it meant to make dwellings for shepherds 
of the hills. The finished product of a tent 
resembled a large curtained square of striped 
carpet. The finishing touches included adjusting 
the hooks, loops, and poles provided for clothing, 
pots, pans, and harness. They were indeed tents 
of the Arabs.’’ 

Jewish rabbis in PauFs day generally refused 
to accept recompense for their theological services. 
They observed the rule, ''Use not the law as a 
spade to dig with’’ in their daily activities. Paul 
learned a trade in order to earn his livelihood, 
although his life was dedicated to teaching and 
preaching in the synagogue. At this time a learned 
schoolmaster, educated in Jerusalem in the numer¬ 
ous traditions, began his instructions, which alter¬ 
nated with his trade lessons in tent-weaving. 

Then came the business of going out to fetch 
materials, to be followed by the art of selling. 
His first trip through the country as a buyer was 
in the spring of the year. His father accompanied 
him over the famous Roman road, which was paved 
with black stones and worn off in numerous places 

45 


THE LIFE OF 


by the constant grind of wagons, carts, and heavy 
chariot wheels. Vivid red and yellow poppies 
were then banked along the hillside, and white 
tulips graced the velvet meadows. The perfume 
of hyacinths wafted across their path. They 
planned to gather sprays of honeysuckle and 
white jasmine on the return trip, for the 
precious mother. This trip held more than de¬ 
lights along the way. There were dangers to be 
faced. They must traverse a steep pass called 
Cilician Gates, the narrow opening enabling trav¬ 
elers to reach the Cilician plain from over beyond. 
Invading soldiers had cut through the rock, and 
the gorge, at some points, was so narrow that a 
laden camel could scarcely pass beneath the over¬ 
hanging crags. The shepherds' land lay at the 
very top of this pass. Shepherds and their families 
lived like wild, primitive beings. Children played 
with snarling dogs about the tent fires, which 
smouldered continuously with daily rubbish. 

Paul learned the route and the manner required 
in bargaining. When they discovered the pur¬ 
chaser's mission, shepherds offered a pretense that 
they were unwilling to sell their sheep's wool. He 
learned, in this experience, the idiosyncrasies of 
mortals who buy and sell. 

46 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


His practical training in selling cloth, journeying 
from one small coast town to another, followed. 
He sold clothing and ship-sails to sailors, and 
various miscellaneous wares to farmers and mer¬ 
chants. His dealings were with both rich and 
poor, merchants, sailors, farmers, townspeople, 
foreigners, and Jews. One day he discovered 
that foreigners had an antipathy for Jews, just 
as they, in turn, disliked foreigners. 

At the age of sixteen he was permitted to rub 
elbows with the world, as a part of the education 
qualifying him for the duties of mature life. 
Until this time he had not known intimately of 
the seamy side of human existence. He now 
stopped in strange stone buildings, heard camp¬ 
fire stories about war, cheating, feasting, and 
bartering. 

Paul's rabbinical future was discussed in his 
home. It was definitely decided that if he were 
to continue his pursuit of religious learning, it 
would be necessary for him to reside in Jerusalem, 
that he might study there with one of the great, 
learned rabbis. Scholarly friends assembled for 
this discussion with the family, and the future of 
Paul was debated upon in minute detail. Promi¬ 
nent men of Tarsus gave Paul many letters of 

47 


THE LIFE OF 


commendation to influential friends in Jerusalem, 
and further plans were formulated for his welfare. 

The home of Paul's sister and her husband was 
in Jerusalem at this time. The parents anticipated 
accompanying him there, thus combining a visit to 
the golden temple and a sojourn with their daugh¬ 
ter. They decided to travel leisurely by road 
with one of the Tarsus pilgrim bands which, at 
that time, was preparing for a journey to the golden 
temple. The other route, preferred by many, 
was by water to Caesarea, on the coast of Palestine. 

Preparations for Paul's wardrobe meant 
laborious effort for the mother. His kit must 
contain only the best of everything. For weeks 
she made the finest shirts, tunics, shawls, ker¬ 
chiefs, and girdles. She placed a luxurious sleep¬ 
ing-mat and a handsome new winter cloak within 
his traveling bundle. Bright-colored embroidery 
touched his garments; everything he possessed 
bespoke a lineage of prosperity. His money-bag 
held many glittering coins for use in Jerusalem. 

One fine day, three well-groomed horses bore 
Paul and his prosperous parents out through 
the city gates toward Jerusalem. Humble asses 
laden with tents, mats, bottles, foods, clothing, 
and books followed along behind. The parents 

48 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


joined in the psalms of rejoicing, because health 
and prosperity had blessed them and they were 
able to dedicate a son^s life to God^s service, accord¬ 
ing to the laws of Moses. Metaphorically, the 
road they traversed traced the pages of religious 
history with vital indelibility. Hundreds poured 
into the road in a perpetual stream, waving palms 
and chanting their songs to God. Merchants 
with awkwardly laden, rocking camels traveled 
there in summer and winter alike. They could 
be identified in the distance by the gaudy, bright 
purple girdles and shimmering metal-cloth turbans 
which they wore. 

On and on over hills and valleys the human line 
moved past the sea, upturned like a bright mirror 
to the placid countenance of the sky. They 
crossed the bridge of the River Cydnus, passed 
over the Roman road, and entered the town of 
Adana as the first day^s sun lowered. 

The following morning the pilgrims took a hasty 
breakfast of eggs, thin scones, parched com, and 
oil. Then tents were hoisted, and folded, and the 
train of human beings, with faithful animals 
following, again took up the inspired march. The 
road was ragged in spots, for travel in that direc¬ 
tion had been heavy. Not only the Romans and 

49 


THE LIFE OF 


Greeks, but Syrians, Macedonians, and Persians 
traveled the famous highway between the east 
and west. Flashing armor of Roman soldiers 
glistened as they passed, dragging a chain of 
slaves along their bloodstained path. There were 
robbers hiding in hill caves along the way, who 
waited to pounce upon defenceless travelers and 
strip them of their wares and jewelry. Night 
travel was deemed unsafe because of wolves and 
hyenas. Tigers and lions often attacked travelers. 
The pilgrims believed that there was safety in 
numbers, so they traveled in groups. 

On the fourth day of the pilgrimage they were at 
the end of the Mediterranean. Then they passed 
the majestic city of Antioch, the capital of Syria, 
upon the hill, well protected by massive walls. 

Paul saw wonderful temples, theatres, and the 
white marble baths of the foreigners. The seaport 
of Seleucia was impressive with its thick array 
of moving ships. He noted that even more masts 
and flags were gathered there than in the river 
harbor at Tarsus. 

They continued their travel along the winding 
road of the seashore from Antioch, and passed 
through Damascus and Palestine, a country fa¬ 
miliar to them all, then to the fascinating wooded 

50 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


land of Bashan, past the snowy cap of Hermon 
which rose like a fluffy cloud in the distance. They 
were happy to be in the country of their fathers. 
They paused on the land belonging to the tribe of 
Naphtali. Over the hills to the south was the 
promised land of Moses! 

Paul saw the Lebanon ranges, spreading out 
from Mount Hermon with its mighty cedars re¬ 
ferred to frequently in the Bible. 

‘'He shall grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 

The hills are covered with shadows, 

And the boughs are goodly cedars 

Sending branches into the sea and roots into the river. 

The trees of God are full of sap, 

The cedars of Lebanon which He planted; 

There the birds make their nests, 

The stork has her home in the branches.” 

The valley of the Jordan extended from Bashan 
to where the sparkling Lake Gennesaret appeared 
in the distance. The uneven shore of the lake 
was fringed with green grass, shrubbery, and trees, 
and flshing-boats dotted its blue waters. As they 
approached the Jordan, which they were to cross, 
Paul remembered the story of Joshua leading the 
children of Israel through the river and into the 
land of milk and honey. There was Mount Tabor 

51 


THE LIFE OF 


with its top covered with small oak-trees! Years 
before, Barak and Deborah had gathered there ten 
thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and de¬ 
scended to defeat Sisera, the Canaanite, with his 
chariots of iron. 

There was the broad plain of Esdraelon, with 
villages and fields of nodding grain, where battles 
were fought and won; the mountain of Gilboa 
where another Saul, the King, had placed his 
sword-handle upon the ground to pierce his 
heart with the blade of defeat. Bitterness be¬ 
tween the Samaritans and Jews being intense, the 
pilgrims did not venture through the Samaritans' 
beautiful country, but remained on the safe side 
of the Jordan. 

At a place just across the wide vale of Shechem, 
Jacob, on the way to his father, Isaac, at He¬ 
bron, stopped with his sons, for four years. It 
was the location of Jacob's well and Joseph's 
tomb. 

The wooded vale of Jabbok was crossed, then 
the verdant pasture lands of Gilead, and the 
high spot was seen where Jacob wrestled all night 
with the enemy of falsity. The stony plain of 
Bethel seemed to turn memory's pages back to the 
story of Jacob and his dream of angels on the ladder 

52 






PAUL OF TARSUS 


between heaven and earth. There Jacob had set 
up a stone — a symbolic promise to serve God all 
his life. 

They bathed in the sacred waters of the Jordan, 
imbibing an inspiring, stimulating sense of bap¬ 
tism. They traveled on to picturesque Jericho 
and climbed the hills of Judea. It was a difficult, 
dangerous climb, but just beyond lay their be¬ 
loved Jerusalem. 

Paul first viewed Jerusalem, the golden, from 
the crest of a hill. Palaces, streets, towers, walls, 
and terraces were spread below. The Mount of 
Olives was not high, as mountains are judged, 
and soon the pilgrims were winding down into the 
Kedron valley. What could have been Paul's 
first thought as he beheld, for the first time, the 
temple foursquare? 

Pouring processions appeared like threads below 
as they entered the sacred doors to the rhythmic 
waving of palms and chanting of songs of the 
Almighty. 

''The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion. 
Beautiful for situation. On the north side is the 
city of the great king," and changing the tempo, 
they continued, "Walk about Zion, go round about 
her. Count the towers, and mark the walls, con- 

53 



THE LIFE OF 


sider the palaces and tell it to your children, for 
the Lord is our God for ever and ever/' 

Beyond the great rich temple curtains, mystery 
dwelt in the hushed presence of God! 

Camps arose in every direction outside Jeru¬ 
salem, for there were not accommodations within 
the gates for all the multitude. There was a 
happy family reunion with Paul's married sister 
and her husband. Family ties were strong and 
of traditional origin. 

The sparkling stream of which King David 
said, There is a river whose stream makes glad 
the city of God, the holy place of the tent of the 
Most High," flowed near the city gate. For many 
days, songs of marching pilgrims continued to 
echo from hilltop and valley as they entered. 

^"As the deer pants after the water brook, so 
thirsts my soul for Thee, 0 God. I went with the 
throng with songs of joy and praise, a multitude 
keeping holiday." 

Blasts from the priests' silver trumpets pro¬ 
claimed the birth of a new day in Jerusalem. 
Twenty men slowly moved back the massive 
gates and the morning sacrifice soon burned upon 
the great white altar of the priests' court. Marble 
tables were prepared for the sacrifices. 

54 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


In the early morning Paul’s bare feet paused 
upon the temple pavement of glorious colors, and he 
knelt near the wonderfully made pillars, with his 
eyes turned toward the roof of gold. Many white- 
robed priests of doctrinal authority moved about. 
A sign on the pillars read: ^"No foreigner may 
pass here on pain of death.” If Paul had then 
been gifted with the spirit of prophecy, he would 
have known what future encounters awaited him 
there on that significant spot of the temple. The 
bath, or ^^seas,” for the priests’ use, was held 
by twelve brass lions. Grand steps of polished 
marble and gorgeous curtains held the gaze spell¬ 
bound. 

Gifts of gold and silver rolled into the treasury. 
Gold dishes were offered by foreign princes. At the 
doors, there were boxes which had trumpet-shaped 
mouths, and these resounded with a perpetual 
dropping of coins as people entered the temple. 
Paul threw in his first temple-gift of money for the 
laws of Moses, and heard the coins drop through 
the trumpet mouth and on down into the golden 
pile of the treasury. Scholarly teachers spoke 
in groups and he moved about from group to 
group, for he wanted to hear many of them. 

Finally the roseate hues of eventide again 

55 


THE LIFE OF 


painted the skies, and the massive gates creaked 
their message abroad that another day had gone, 
while the priests' trumpets rang down the curtain 
on another day of the sacred drama of Jerusa¬ 
lem. Arches and pillars echoed the whispering 
murmurs of nightfall. 

Several days of sight-seeing and worship fol¬ 
lowed. Next Paul considered the problem of his 
permanent domicile in Jerusalem. He was to be 
a student within those golden walls! He was am¬ 
bitious, and the contemplation of his chosen future 
life thrilled his youthful heart. 

Gamaliel, a strict Pharisee, was chosen by the 
father to teach him. He was a man of profound 
learning and renowned as a rabbi. He was the 
son of Rabbi Simeon, and grandson of Rabbi 
Hillel, the most learned rabbi of early Jewish his¬ 
tory, whose wisdom, kindness, and discernment 
made his name famous and beloved by all. It 
was generally believed that Gamaliel inherited 
those kindly traits. He often repeated to students 
words of wisdom which were of his grandfather's 
teaching. Jews well versed in Rabbi Hillel's 
doctrines could readily recognize such admoni¬ 
tions as, "^What you yourself dislike, do not do to 
your neighbor, for this is the law, and everything 

56 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


else is only the application/’ Another of his wise 
sayings was this: ^^He who knows the law has 
gained the life to come/’ Such lessons of the law 
were instilled into Paul’s mind, and he received 
a clear Pharisaical interpretation of them. Later, 
through great tribulation he was to receive an 
enlightened interpretation of the law according 
to Christ Jesus. 

He was much interested when he learned the 
life story of Rabbi Hillel, the founder of Gamaliel’s 
teaching. As a little boy he was very poor, and 
one winter day he did not have the small coin 
required of little students for the schoolmaster. 
He would not return home, but climbed up to 
the window, which held no glass, so that he would 
not miss any of his teacher’s words. Snow fell 
on the shivering little boy outside. Suddenly 
the teacher looked up toward the window, saw 
the little fellow, brought him in, and lovingly 
warmed him by the fire. 

On Passover Eve Paul and his father took 
their snow-white sacrificial lamb to the temple 
for the priests’ inspection. Thousands of helpless, 
bleating lambs were carried into the temple to 
bow beneath glittering knives, well sharpened for 
the occasion. This was a part of the sacrificial 

57 


THE LIFE OF 

ceremony, and a red stream flowed at the foot of 
the altar. 

All that Passover night, stars winked and 
blinked down upon the temple slaughter. Slay¬ 
ing, burning, then feasting! Low temple lights 
tossed flickering shadows to and fro; smoking 
fires crackled, and the sacred incense of sacrificed 
animals permeated the air. There were vigorous 
duties to perform. Thousands of the Levites 
and servants cleansed the temple, washing pave¬ 
ments and removing stains of the festivities. 
Then followed the seven days of unleavened bread. 
The cakes which the Israelites partook of, when 
they fled out of Egypt, had no leaven because of 
the hurried making. Before eating this especially 
prepared bread in the golden temple of Jerusalem, 
the worshippers were compelled to cut off their 
hair and nails and to take a bath. Some objected 
to strict obedience to these rules. 

Three days of buying and selling in the bazaars 
followed the bringing of grain into the temple for 
wave offering. There seemed little opportunity 
for spiritual worship in the seasonal orgies of dis¬ 
play and material sacrifice. There were numerous 
programmes of thanksgiving singing. Voices rang 
clear and sonorous to the familiar lines: 

58 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


‘'Sing aloud to God, our strength, and make a joyful noise. 

Sing the psalm; strike the cymbal, harp, and psaltery. 

Blow upon the trumpet to the new moon. 

It is the law for Israel and a command of God/' 

Flickering candles danced mysteriously and 
altar fires sent fiery points heavenward, then 
paused for food of smouldering continuance. 
The youthful mind of Paul quaffed deeply of 
ritualistic impressions, and far within his being 
false creeds and doctrines took root. 

The last day of the festival season was marked 
by melancholia, for Paul and his family were to 
separate, and bade each other adieu. The parents 
departed for their home in Tarsus, where there 
were others to be cared for and educated. 

For a brief period Paul lived in the home of 
his sister in Jerusalem, and began to attend the 
classes of Gamaliel, which comprised both young 
and old students of the Bible who traveled from 
numerous distant ports for this instruction. Paul 
learned to ask questions — but he never doubted! 
Teachers frankly admitted that it was difficult to 
carry out all the rules of their religion; however, 
students were expected to be as obedient as 
possible. 

At this time it was voiced about that many of 

59 


THE LIFE OF 


the teachers were '^blind leaders of a blind people/’ 
Paul believed implicitly that a man’s real and only 
happiness rested in keeping the laws and tradi¬ 
tions of his people. Students were familiarized 
with civil crimes, such as theft and murder, of 
their penalties, and of all the various man-made 
offences against the law, and likewise their pun¬ 
ishments. 

An historian has suggested that Paul married, 
during his student days, a certain Nossis, who 
passed on two years later; but Paul left no 
definite information on this subject in his valuable 
epistles. 

Daily the web of tradition was woven more 
securely about him and his daily life. There 
were prescribed ways of washing the hands, with 
a certain number of steps to the basin, and many 
other ridiculous rules for daily routine. Water 
used from pools, cisterns, and wells had particular 
significance. He learned that men who did not 
wash their hands after partaking of food, equaled 
murderers in offence. These ideas were as weeds 
in his garden of thought. There were rules of 
procedure governing the selection of foodstuffs. 
Some animals were forbidden as food, while others 
required special preparation before they passed 

60 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


the censorship. Birds and fish were either ac¬ 
cepted or banned according to rules. Pork was 
considered unclean, and persons who ate rare beef 
were surely to be put to death. 

Paul was a strict Pharisee of Asia, and not of 
Jerusalem. He always wore a colorful, broad- 
striped, long tunic, belted at the waist, with a 
broad sash or shawl wound around his body twice, 
serving also as a pocket for numerous small articles 
that he carried about with him. On winter days 
he wore a cloak of thick brown material which 
protected him from the storms. Over this hung 
his prayer shawl. He wore a head-kerchief which 
was carefully folded to shade his face and was 
drawn about his head with a cord of gay hue. 

He had an alert, steady glance and looked un¬ 
like many of the languid-eyed Jews that he met 
in the temple of Jerusalem. Vitality beamed in 
his countenance. His hair, black as a raven's 
wing, was brushed back with careful exactness. 

Educational attainments elsewhere in the world 
became interesting to him. The Pharisees of 
Jerusalem were amusing to others of the towns¬ 
people. Small boys of the city nicknamed them 
tumbling Pharisees." Their pretensions and 
attempts to bend low continuously often sent 

61 


THE LIFE OF 


them tumbling headfirst, causing the children 
along the streets to laugh and ridicule. Other 
worshippers were classified as bleeding Phari¬ 
sees'' because they wandered about with their 
eyes closed lest they behold a woman who would 
contaminate their purity. Some of them bled 
their noses against posts and walls. The Phari¬ 
sees who preferred not to gaze upon worldliness 
of any description were nicknamed '"cap Phari¬ 
sees." Others, known as the "What-can-I-do- 
more-Pharisees," boasted of their perfection, con¬ 
sequently no one took them seriously. 

Paul did not assimilate all the inconsistencies 
of his people, but he acquired many of their vain 
habits and mannerisms. He considered it a re¬ 
ligious duty to step aside on the street and draw 
his cloak about him lest his clothing touch an¬ 
other in passing. If the passer-by did not observe 
the law as he deemed wise, the slightest contact 
would prove detrimental. He thought it unneces¬ 
sary to encourage women to seek the higher teach¬ 
ing. Women never influenced his life, and he 
regarded them as handicaps to spiritual progress. 

He had dreamed of Mount Zion as a child, and 
now that he lived in Jerusalem, he could gaze 
afar out on the beauteous mountain daily. It 

62 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


loomed up in stately dignity across the narrow 
Tyropean valley, which was spanned by a high 
bridge, designed to join both sides of the city and 
furnish an accessible road for the priests. The 
city of King David held many rich palaces and 
beautiful towers outlined by King Herod. He saw 
the three huge towers of massive squares of marble: 
one was called Hippicos, after Herod's friend, one 
Phasael, after his brother, and the third, Mari- 
amne, after the wife that he killed after many 
years of cruel, inhuman torture. The palace 
which now served as the Roman governor's home 
was formerly Herod's own palace, and its gold and 
silver splendor still scintillated in the sunlight, 
and the jewels flashed with the lustre of per¬ 
manence. 

The huge fort, Antonia (named after Mark 
Antony), had a strong guard on duty at all hours. 
Beneath, there was a passageway leading to the 
temple, where foreigners could freely enter the 
inner shrine. Paul did not understand this 
matter. In the days to come, he would be con¬ 
veyed through this same passageway by Romans 
who befriended him. 

Paul took many trips to near-by towns to sell 
cloth. Sometimes he went out through the Damas- 

63 


THE LIFE OF 


cus Gate, along by the wonderful tombs in the 
hillside; occasionally he chose to go through the 
Jaffa Gate of the east side and along the road 
toward the Mediterranean Sea where many hated 
Romans marched from their ships. When his 
business led him southward, he departed by the 
Lion Gate at the dismal vale of Hinnom where 
Tophet, known as Gehenna, or Hell, smouldered 
with unending rubbish fires. 

Rare natural beauty marked the road by the 
pool of Siloam, which bubbled up at the foot 
of the city wall, and glistened in a gentle stream 
through the king's gardens in the peaceful val¬ 
ley of Jehoshaphat. Silver willows and almond- 
trees flourished there, with dainty lilies adding a 
note of delicacy. Paul saw the hills of Hebron, 
where the flocks of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob 
had pastured long, long years before. He paused 
at Rachel's tomb to pray. He heard many in¬ 
teresting stories about David, the shepherd king, 
who passionately loved music and song, and who 
enjoyed many conquests. 

The east gate of the city was the most pictur¬ 
esque, because the swift, glistening waters of the 
Hebron sparkled through the valley, and Mount 
Olive ascended but a short distance away. The 

64 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


miracle of perpetual verdure colored the slopes 
of Mount Olive. 

Fragrant myrtles and olives, dark cypress, 
almond, and clustering waxlike vines could be 
found there all the year. Two cedar-trees stood at 
the top of this remarkable hill, like silent sentinels. 

From the top of the mount, the grey rocks about 
the Dead Sea appeared in distinctive contrast to 
the soft green of the Jordan banks. Signals of 
thie new moon were flashed with seasonal regu¬ 
larity. Great crowds of pilgrims began to move 
slowly back to their homes as the warm days of 
summertime blended into sombre autumn. City 
activities then settled down to regular routine 
again, and appalling quietude rested upon the 
religious quarters of the populace. July and 
August were burning months in Jerusalem, with 
never a drop of rain to relieve the earth. The 
earth ofttimes cracked in wide streaks, of suffi¬ 
cient size to hold a youth's foot. Lazy green 
and brown lizards basked in the scorching sun. 
So the days of fall were welcomed^ by the inhab¬ 
itants of the city. 

Fasting days were observed in memory of the 
capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, the 
destruction of the first temple, and the death of 

65 


I 


THE LIFE OF 


Gedaliah. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays 
honored Moses and Mount Sinai. Paul confi¬ 
dently believed these communions would aid him 
to receive special messages from God in his dreams. 

The Festival of Atonement convened in the 
golden brown days of October. Paul made special 
preparation for a week of devout supplication. 
He stood with other students, clad in white sheets, 
symbolizing sorrow. Later, he was held in seclu¬ 
sion in an inner room of the temple, that his purity 
might be unquestioned. All the long night pre¬ 
ceding the ceremony, he was kept wide awake. 

Just before dawn he was arrayed in a snow- 
white linen dress, and a dark blue cloak with rich 
border heavily embroidered with a scarlet flower 
design. Bells trimmed his clothing, and tinkled 
faintly as he walked. This attire was completed 
by an elaborate stiff blouse which was clasped 
with precious jewels bearing the names of the 
twelve tribes of the Jews. He wore a breastplate 
made of gems, and upon his white bell-shaped 
hat with tie of blue ribbons he wore a gold plate 
with the inscription: ** Holiness to the Lord.'' The 
priests wore skirts with bells upon them which 
jingled as they prepared the Atonement Day sacri¬ 
fice service for Paul and the other worshippers. 

66 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Two white goats stood trembling with fright 
before them; one had a red flannel band around 
its neck, and the other had the red band tied 
upon its horn. The first was killed for the blood 
of sacrifice, but the second, the scapegoat, was 
taken out by a chosen official, according to cus¬ 
tom, and released. After the sinful little animal, 
burdened with so many sins, reached the five-mile 
limit, he was set free in the wilderness. During 
this outside action, worshippers in the temple 
muttered to each other in strange solemnity, 
'^The goat has borne away all our transgressions 
into an uninhabited land.'' 

When the evening following the ceremony came, 
Paul felt hungry. He had not tasted food for 
many hours. After his feast, he went out into 
the vineyard .gardens where maidens of the city 
danced in the bright moonlight. Maidens who 
desired marriage dressed in white garments which 
were presented to them as gifts for the event. 
Rich and poor maidens were attired alike, which 
afforded equality of opportunity. They danced 
to music of timbrels and chanted alluring songs of 
romance. Young men dressed in their best clothes 
watched the dancing figures float past them in 
the moonlight. 


67 


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Marriage laws were set down for Jews to ob¬ 
serve. Jews were to marry Jews. A man hav¬ 
ing several wives was privileged to send a wife 
away if she went about their home with hair un¬ 
bound or served poorly cooked food to him. Paul 
learned that the presence of a wife would lead his 
attention away from his consecrated, religious 
study, and keep thought away from strict ob¬ 
servance of the spiritual laws and traditions. At 
that time Pharisees used harsh treatment with 
wives, and their methods were later to be rebuked, 
and severity replaced by love and tenderness. 

When Paul learned that a new Messiah was 
expected on earth, according to divine prophecy, 
he visualized Him as a great human prince who 
would use authoritative divine power to drive 
out all the Jews’ enemies from before their eyes. 
Pomp and display stimulated Paul’s mind. His 
religious perspective gradually converged into a 
groove of narrowness, symbolized by the narrow 
thoroughfare of a Jewish settlement, from which 
no one digressed. As years went by, he made 
occasional visits to his home in Tarsus, where 
his proud parents gloried in their son’s progress, 
and in his acknowledged superiority. 


68 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


CHAPTER IV 

LIGHT —AND DARKNESS 

Much discord arose in Jerusalem because Pon¬ 
tius Pilate looked upon Jews as Roman slaves. He 
commanded that golden shields be made, engraved, 
and hung upon the walls of the palace of Herod, 
where Pilate now resided as governor. The shields 
were made in honor of the Emperor Tiberius, whom 
he was anxious to please. Excited crowds be¬ 
sought him to remove the shields, which appeared 
to be an altar of idolatry to the man, Tiberius. 
Roman soldiers guarded the shining golden shields 
for many days. Antipas, son of Herod, was a 
favorite of Tiberius, and when he reported the 
anger of the whole Jewish nation, the Emperor 
advised the removal of the emblems, and suggested 
that they might be safely hung in the stronghold 
at Caesarea, if Pilate so desired. In any event, 
he continued to insist that the emblems must not 
remain in the palace to enrage the Jews further. 
There was much rejoicing among the Jews when 
this mandate was enforced, because they con¬ 
sidered it a victory for them. 

69 


THE LIFE OF 


Pilate observed that the canal, which supplied 
the city with water, was old and broken. A new 
waterway was needed, and he asked that some of 
the temple funds be used for the project. The 
Jews refused, and rebelled against using sacred 
money for such a purpose. Pilate's plan was pro¬ 
gressive and right, so, with the support of the 
whole force of his Roman soldiers, he demanded 
that the Jewish leaders accept this improvement 
for their country. He forced the issue; their 
decision had to be in the afl&rmative. Repairing 
and building began on a great watercourse which 
extended miles and miles through hills and valleys. 
In that age it was considered a masterpiece of con¬ 
struction. 

At the time, this achievement was not generally 
appreciated, and Paul often heard the Jews dis¬ 
cuss it disdainfully. Paul may have beheld the 
accident recorded, when a stone tower near the pool 
of Siloam fell and killed several workmen. The 
rabbis explained to their parishioners that it oc¬ 
curred as a punishment because they had used 
temple money for the building. They did not ex¬ 
plain why the entire structure was not destroyed 
by divine wrath. 

The iron hand of Rome lay firmly upon the 

70 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


throat of Jerusalem. It was blasphemy to speak in 
any manner against the teaching of Moses which 
meant, in the original, *^to speak against God."' 
The penalty for such a crime was death by stoning. 
Paul accepted unreservedly all that the rabbis 
taught. He was always ready to carry out their 
cruel rules with an eager hand. At the end of ten 
years’ study at the feet of his beloved teacher, 
Gamaliel, Paul became intolerant and hateful with 
all who disagreed with his beliefs. But a Jewish 
mother’s dream had been fulfilled, for he was indeed 
learned in the laws and tradition of Moses; he was 
a leader, an authority! 

The fame of John the Baptist spread through¬ 
out the land. He was a cousin of Jesus, the son of 
a chief high priest, and a young man of purity and 
ambition, consecrated to interpret religious truths 
to others. He began to take his place at the ford 
of the River Jordan where pilgrims passed by. He 
chose a high spot, and beckoned the people to come 
and be baptized in the holy waters of the Jordan, 
to confess their sins, and to make ready for the 
coming of the holy man of God. His action seemed 
strange to them, and they questioned him. He 
always replied with the inspired words: I baptize 
thee with water, but One mightier than I cometh, 

71 


THE LIFE OF 


the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to un¬ 
loose. He shall baptize thee with the Holy Spirit.'' 

His deep sincerity impressed his listeners. Some 
became his followers. He was well known among 
them and highly respected. He expressed many 
truths he had learned in the temple where Paul was 
taught. John possessed superior spiritual vision. 
With his illumined consciousness, he foretold the 
coming of the Saviour. He was gentle, kind, and 
humble. ' He spoke against no one, so the Romans 
could not take offence at his words of prophecy. 
With his understanding of spiritual things, he was 
endowed with the confidence which enforces the 
unseen law. When Jesus of Nazareth heard about 
his cousin John, he was peculiarly stirred. He 
bent over his last day's work at his carpentry bench 
in his father's shed at Nazareth. The light of 
spirit illumined his thoughts. How gently he 
emerged into the world to lead mankind into spir¬ 
itual life! In humility he walked to show the way. 

John's eyes peered heavenward for a visible ap¬ 
pearing of the Saviour of mankind. But it was a 
slight rustle of the sawdust and shavings within 
his humble shop which marked the earthly steps of 
One Divine. With the quietness of falling dew 
upon the petals of the flowers, he came to walk 

72 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


among the men of flesh. He came unadorned with 
worldly pomp and fashion, but wore a simple peas¬ 
ant's tunic of white. Plain sandals were upon 
his feet, and in his hand he carried a staff. 

The village carpenter departed — and our 
blessed Saviour appeared, with countenance shin¬ 
ing as the sim. And the fire of his sacred mission 
blazed within his tender heart. He slowly ap¬ 
proached John and his listeners by the River 
Jordan. There was no spectacular appearance of 
a worldly prince, but he came in meekness and 
gentleness. When John gazed into his face, he 
realized the truth. He exclaimed, There stand- 
est One among you whom ye know not: He it 
is, who, coming after me, is preferred before me, 
whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." 
And John bare record, saying, saw the Spirit 
descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode 
upon him." ''The law was given by Moses, but 
grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John 
baptized Jesus as he requested, and in that hour 
he heard a voice saying, "Thou art my beloved 
son, in whom I am well pleased." 

John's followers would not believe that Jesus 
Christ was the Saviour of mankind, for there was 
no material evidence to convince them of the 

73 


THE LIFE OF 


fact. They smiled among themselves when John 

✓ 

preached of the Son of God who tarried a brief 
while in their midst. There was something about 
the living, ever present God they could not under¬ 
stand* The inspired mind of John received the 
assurance that Jesus was the chosen one. ^'And 
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, 
(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only 
begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.’^ 

Jesus preached about the living God through the 
remote hamlets, in temple and countryside. Many 
times the priests stopped his preaching, calling it 
blasphemy against the laws of Moses. They con¬ 
tended that for a human being to liken himself to 
God on high was great impertinence. But on and 
on he trudged with his divine message, ""God is a 
spirit; and they that worship him must worship 
him in spirit and in truth.’' ""The son can do 
nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do. 
My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. I seek 
not mine own will, but the will of the Father which 
hath sent me.” 

The first year of Jesus’ divine apostleship gave 
to the world the sacred Sermon on the Mount. 

Paul never heard Jesus preach, but he was in¬ 
formed of his healing and teaching. The rabbis 

74 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


taught that an ignorant peasant could have no 
influence nor effect upon their religion, which was 
based upon profound learning and scholastic au¬ 
thority. Jesus boldly rebuked their numerous 
foolish creeds. Marriage and divorce were given 
a new interpretation. He brought praise to little 
children ('^Suffer the little children to come unto 
me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven 
Purity and innocence he declared to be every man's 
necessity, thereby opening the door of receptivity 
for divine blessings of God to enter. These teach¬ 
ings inflamed the hatred of the Jews. At this time 
Paul was not ready to touch the hem of Christ's 
garment in humility. He did not understand 
John's devotion to Jesus' teachings. John was 
the son of a priest in their own temple and was 
respected for his purity of thought. 

Stories of the healing work of Jesus came more 
frequently to Paul as time passed, and he decided 
to remain staunch and loyal to his own religion, 
helping in any way possible to dethrone the new¬ 
comer from the place he usurped. The Nazarenes 
formed a sect which was joined by many of the 
Jerusalem Jews. Synagogue scribes and rabbis 
scoffed at the ^^fishermen disciples" of Jesus. 
Gamaliel's attitude was one of kindness, however, 

75 


THE LIFE OF 


and he besought his people to desist from the per¬ 
secution of the Nazarenes, wisely stating that if 
their teaching did not prove to be the truth, it 
would come to naught and could harm no one. 

Furthermore, he insisted, if the preaching were 
ordained of God, it could not be overthrown by 
their own feeble efforts. Paul did not agree with 
his teacher, for it seemed illogical to him that ig¬ 
norant fishermen could teach others about God — 
or anything else. He broke away from his teacher 
at this time, and joined the most venomous perse¬ 
cutors of Jesus' followers who entered Jerusalem. 

Their aim was to stamp out Christianity. Paul 
was a self-righteous Pharisee of the inevitable tra¬ 
ditional mold which began in the cradle days when 
a devout mother breathed creeds and doctrines into 
his child-life. Can the world question why he 
opposed the truth he could not recognize? His 
very blood flowed in veins of tradition. He was 
faithful to his ideal of obedience. With the facts 
of his life spread out before modem gaze, we may 
understand and pity the life so encumbered by the 
heaviness of Pharisaism. There were sad lessons 
ahead, beyond the golden temple of Jerusalem! 
Pitiful struggles of the flesh, of which neither in¬ 
tuition nor prophecy had given the slightest hint 

76 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


or warning, awaited him. His natural vision was 
dimmed by doctrinal mist. 

The Nazarenes strengthened in power and num¬ 
bers. There was much poverty among their people 
in Jerusalem. Stephen was appointed, among 
seven followers, to visit the city and give relief to 
those in distress. He was a leader in the firing- 
line for Christ Jesus, and a target for human 
thrusts of hatred and malice. 

Paul delivered a heated address to convince the 
Jews of the temple that the Nazarenes were guilty 
of crime and blasphemous intrusion. At that 
time, even the recent condemnation of Jesus, his 
death and resurrection did not furnish adequate 
proof to the cruel-hearted Pharisees. Stephen 
spoke before the throng about the revelations of 
the risen Master. An illumination brightened his 
handsome, sensitive face. Paul had met Stephen 
in debate in the synagogue of Cilicia upon one 
occasion. When they met in Jerusalem it was in 
the court of the seventy Sanhedrinists (judges), 
who were merciless in their persecution of the Naz¬ 
arenes. Stephen was openly accused of going from 
house to house infiuencing converts and working 
against the laws of Moses in his teachings. 

It was a tragic moment for Stephen when he 

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stood before the critical gaze of the Sanhedrinists. 
There in the assembly sat pale Caiaphas and his 
crude father-in-law, ''the wolf-eyed Ananias'' (who 
condemned Jesus), Theophilus and Matthew, the 
sons of Caiaphas. Gamaliel was present, and 
somewhat disapproved of the methods of his 
austere pupil, Paul. When the high priest ques¬ 
tioned Stephen, he replied simply that he was not 
a blasphemer. The angelic light upon his face was 
recorded, as were his words of divine wisdom and 
inspiration, which were uttered in cultured Greek. 
Words that were never to be forgotten by man¬ 
kind! "God dwelleth not in temples made with 
hands. Heaven is His throne, earth His footstool! 
What house will ye build me ? saith the Lord; or 
what is the place of my rest? Hath He not made 
all things?" Angry faces scowled as he spoke 
with fervor and power. "You are obstinate and 
unjust, you are resisting the power of God as your 
fathers did before you. Which of the prophets 
have not your fathers persecuted, and they have 
slain them which told of the coming of the Just 
One, of whom you have been now the betrayers 
and murderers; who have received the law as if it 
had been by the disposition of angels of Mount 
Sinai and have not kept it." 

78 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Enraged voices murmured in rumbling under¬ 
tone throughout the vast audience. Stephen 
turned his face heavenward as if beholding a vision 
opening before him. ^'1 see the heavens opened, 
and the Son of man standing on the right hand of 
God.'' After a sudden mysterious hush, cries of 
''Blasphemy!" rang forth; there were some who 
stopped their ears that no more of Stephen's words 
might be heard. 

Their ears were too dull and their eyes too blind, 
because bigotry and arrogance reigned in their 
Court of Justice. Louder the shrieks of "Blas¬ 
phemy 1" rent the^air. 

Frenzied, mad hands cuffed the saintly Stephen 
right and left. The judges soon sentenced Stephen 
without any further parley. Paul denounced him 
in the harshest manner. 

The sentence read, "Let him be stoned to death 
until he die according to the law." Stephen's 
face never changed its calm expression. His faith 
soared above injustice, like a white dove which 
never touches the mud of earth in its flight. 

Paul laid aside his cloak hastily that it might 
not be stolen by some prowler, then with his asso¬ 
ciates he cast the first stones that were to kill 
Stephen the apostle, beloved of the Father. 

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Stephen knelt on the ground and covered his face 
with his pale hands as he prayed to God. His 
robes fell about him in Nazarene manner. Jeering 
and reviling and the piercing stones of Pharisaism! 
Murder cloaked in righteousness! Paul leaned 
forward and heard the dying words of Stephen 
which rang forth clear and strong: "'‘Lord, lay 
not this sin to their charge.’ And when he had 
said this, he fell asleep.” 

When silence closed the lips of the dying martyr, 
there were those present who recalled hearing 
cries of agony ring from the cross when the gentle 
Master murmured, "Father, forgive them, for 
they know not what they do.” So Stephen fol¬ 
lowed the Saviour’s footsteps in the illumined way 
where love alone is master of all ceremonies, and 
the reward of the righteous is Peace! 

"And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, 
and made great lamentation over him. As for 
Paul, he made havoc of the church, entering into 
every house, and haling men and women, com¬ 
mitted them to prison.” 

Stephen’s removal did not discourage the activity 
of his followers nor hinder the advance of Chris¬ 
tianity. News of miracles of healing being per¬ 
formed by the Nazarenes came daily to the ears of 

80 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


the Jews of Jerusalem. The Nazarenes took their 
floggings of stones, whips, and clubs, bravely, then 
continued to praise God. Selfless worshippers 
were inspired by Stephen's martyrdom. 

Gamaliel warned Paul about fighting against 
God; but he did not really grasp the import of this 
advice. Philip, a foreign Jew like Stephen, was 
driven out of the country to Samaria. There he 
baptized an officer of the Ethiopian queen, as one 
of their fold. The idea became established that 
Jews and foreigners alike could become Nazarenes. 
The story of the resurrection of Christ Jesus found 
its way into all the far comers of the earth, and 
daily there were seekers who became allied with 
the faithful band of Christians. It was learned 
that the Nazarenes were boldly using the Jewish 
temples for their worship, and Paul was appointed 
to set out to pursue and punish the troublesome 
ones. He took several soldiers with him as travel¬ 
ing companions. He had just reached the age of 
thirty, and thus far had fulfilled all the Jewish 
ambitions designed in his youth. 

He strictly observed the laws of Moses and the 
Traditions. There were no marriage ties with 
attendant tenderness of a close feminine relation¬ 
ship to mellow his austerity. When he started 

81 


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out to persecute the Nazarenes, he bore all the 
authority of religious letters with a sternness almost 
steel-like in its propensity. 

He held officially sealed dispatches on his person 
for this important commission. Strange thoughts, 
like silent soldiers, accompanied him as he rode. 
Unrest stirred within him, for his religion had 
seemed to give him no solace nor permanent peace. 
He entered green Galilee, the home of the gentle 
Jesus. Every child, every tree, and every living 
thing there knew the touch of Christ Jesus — the 
touch of restoration and healing! When the blue 
waters of Gennesaret flashed into view, Paul did 
not perceive there a smile of the great spirit. 

He was perplexed about the man Jesus, who rose 
up from obscurity and reigned royally as Prince of 
the Earth above all others. What of his own 
study and learning? What could it amount to, if 
this were really true of one uninstructed ? A still, 
small voice suggested to him: ^'You are fighting 
against God''; but he was obstinate, and silenced 
the plea with, am fighting for God." Confu¬ 
sion over this subject angered him, for he believed 
that he had learned all that priests of earth may 
know. He wondered who could usurp a throne on 
High but a person of profound learning! 

82 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


The journey to Damascus was almost ended, and 
the grey houses of the city rose in the distance. 
Word traveled like wildfire among all the people 
that the chief persecutor was on his way to take 

j 

leading Nazarenes into custody as prisoners. It 
was an alarming time for the Nazarenes. They 
prayed steadfastly with assurance for their protec¬ 
tion from harm. 

It was the noon hour, and the day was hot. The 
horses dragged their feet slowly. Paul’s train of 
soldiers rested and stretched out a bit in the shade 
of the trees outskirting the city, before preparing 
to resume the journey. But Paul lay prostrate 
and — blind! He groped strangely as a great 
Light blazed across the spot where he was stricken. 
He rubbed his eyes, but without avail, for his sight 
was completely gone. He was blind! Terror 
possessed him as he heard a voice ring out as if 
from God himself: ^^Saul! Saul!” He listened 
intently, then plainly the words rang into his con¬ 
sciousness: '"'Why persecutest thou me?’ And 
he said, ^Who art thou. Lord?’ And the Lord 
said, 'I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is 
hard for thee to kick against the pricks.’ And he, 
trembling and astonished, said, ^Lord, what wilt 
thou have me to do?’ And the Lord said unto 

83 


THE LIFE OF 


him, ' Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be 
told thee what thou must do/ And the men which 
journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a 
voice, but seeing no man. They led him by the 
hand and brought him into Damascus.Peculiar 
thoughts surged in a regenerating upheaval within 
Paul. 

The closeness to God, his life's one ambition, 
came at last when his searching mind turned 
to Christ Jesus. With blindness came Light! 
Thoughts of his past acts of persecution tortured 
his conscience. He had been deaf, but now he 
could hear I He heard the divine message: ^^For 
this have I appeared to you to make you minister 
and a witness both of what you have seen and of 
what I.will make known to you; delivering you 
from the people and from foreigners to whom I 
shall send you to open their eyes and turn them 
from darkness to the Light, and from evil to God, 
that they may receive forgiveness of their sins, 
and a place among them that are made pure by 
faith in me." Thus the bewildered feet of Paul, 
the apostle, were driven into the ways of righteous¬ 
ness, and his sense of obedience, purified with 
humility and gentleness. 

News of Paul's experience en route to Damascus 

84 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


spread rapidly. He journeyed into their country 
to imprison their countrymen, and had been 
stricken blind outside of the city gates and could 
do nothing."' He was helped to the home of Judas 
in Straight Street. Memories played upon the 
harpstrings of his mind as he faced the dawn of a 
new day. 


/ 


85 


THE LIFE OF 


CHAPTER V 

SIGHT TO THE BLIND 

Among the Nazarenes of Damascus lived Ana¬ 
nias, who, like Paul, had been a strict Jew in his 
youth. He was very much concerned when he heard 
of PauTs experience. He had a vision in which the 
Lord spoke to him. He answered, Behold, I 
am here. Lord,' and the voice continued to instruct 
him, 'Arise, and go into the street which is called 
Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one 
called Saul of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 
and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias 
coming in, and putting his hands on him that he 
might receive his sight.'" Ananias told him, 
"How much evil he hath done to thy saints at 
Jerusalem. But the Lord said unto him, 'Go thy 
way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my 
name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the chil¬ 
dren of Israel. For I will shew him how great 
things he must suffer for my name's sake.' And 
Ananias went his way." He found Paul in the 
depths of remorse and humility, and completely 
without his eyesight. Ananias offered prayer with 

86 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


the love which heals, and Paul was healed instan¬ 
taneously. Genuine gratitude flooded his heart, 
and he tenderly laid his hand in true brotherly 
spirit upon the shoulder of his friend Ananias. 

Ananias responded, Thou shalt be a witness for 
Jesus to all men of what you have seen and heard. 
Obey the call of Jesus. Rise from the couch of 
death into a new life; repentance is forgiveness, 
water is the sign of purification and renewal.’' 
Thus Paul was reborn, and from the barren soil 
of selfish creeds rose blossoms of the true attributes 
of God. 

Ananias departed after assuring him that ^'The 
Lord hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy 
sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. He 
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was bap¬ 
tized.” Paul knew in his heart that to be ap¬ 
pointed of God meant to hold high the torch of the 
white light of Christ. He became a new man. 
Intolerance was dispelled by love. 

He bade farewell to the Nazarenes of Damascus, 
and went to Arabia to live in solitude, that he 
might draw nearer in daily living to the new-found 
God of Love, Truth, and Life. 

When the soldiers of Jerusalem returned without 
Paul, they carried a remarkable letter telling of 

87 


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his conversion, and of his final departure from the 
ranks as their rabbi and teacher. Gradually all 
his vast knowledge of the letter of the Bible re¬ 
ceived a glorious new interpretation. A different 
consecration replaced his former religious efforts. 
Step by step he experienced the renewal of divine 
adoption. 

The world has never known a greater human life 
change than that of Paul, a Jew, who became the 
appointed apostle, divinely directed to lead Gen¬ 
tiles into the understanding of Life Everlasting. 
Being an eloquent and learned speaker, he began 
to preach to the people. He told them of his con¬ 
version and of the blindness which was replaced 
with the Sight of God. 

In Damascus, enemies soon plotted to kill Paul 
because of his teachings of freedom. A friend 
confided the hateful scheme to him while others 
planned to thwart the assassins. When night 
came they lowered him from a window in a huge 
basket. Being small of stature he escaped easily, 
and through the still darkness of the night the 
hurrying figure in a brown cloak fled to safety. 
He traveled back to Jerusalem and into the temple 
where he had persecuted and tortured the martjr, 
Stephen. He now listened eagerly to stories of 

88 


PAUL OF TARSUS 

Jesus’ life told him by his followers. It was a day 
of much importance when Paul met James, the 
brother of Jesus (who became a follower of His 
teachings after His ascension). James was then 
a leader in the Nazarene church of Jerusalem. It 
was difficult for James to relinquish all the old 
beliefs of his people. Creeds seemed to cling per¬ 
sistently. Therefore Paul and James could not 
always agree upon the practice of their religion. 
Paul spoke in the temple of Jerusalem teaching 
that Jesus was indeed the Saviour of the world. 
He related his experience on the Damascus road. 
The citizens remembered him as a strict Pharisee 
and persecutor of Jesus; they resented his change 
bitterly. Their opposition led to noisy jeering. 

Paul was then warned secretly that the people 
planned the same treatment for him that had been 
given to Stephen. So again he crept away, dis¬ 
guised in such a way that he would not be appre¬ 
hended. He was resolved to carry out the Master’s 
admonition: ''Go ye into all the world, preach 
the gospel, heal the sick.” The instruction to 
"heal the sick” impressed him deeply, because 
such works offered proof or demonstration of the 
presence of God. In "the golden city of his 
dreams” he was rejected as a Christian convert. 

89 


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His old companions and friends ridiculed the 
change in him. He stood alone with God! In that 
hour of advancement for him, he courageously 
took up his cross, for he knew there could be no 
crown without it. Man's inadequacy lay bare 
before him, and God's entirety appeared! 

Nazarene friends accompanied him to Caesarea, 
a seaport which Paul particularly liked. They 
waited there patiently for a boat, and when it 
finally appeared, it was a trading vessel laden 
with com from Egypt, bound for Tarsus. They 
boarded the ship. 

Upon his arrival in Tarsus he was summoned to 
appear in the synagogue for a rebuke regarding his 
actions and apparent disloyalty to the faith of his 
fathers. It is there he may have endured the 
whippings to which he referred when he said that 
'^he gloried in the experience and opportunity to 
suffer for the cause of the risen Christ." Many 
who listened to him there became converts and 
followed faithfully according to his teachings. 
He then preached throughout the province of 
Cilicia and also in Amana, the next province of 
Syria beyond the mountain. He became a familiar 
figure on the highways, riding upon an ass, or walk¬ 
ing with a long staff which he had cut from a tree. 

90 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


In this year of Roman history the young em¬ 
peror, nicknamed Caligula, literally, ''Little Boot,'' 
was drunk with power and false ambition. During 
his unwise reign he had images of himself made 
for the people to worship in all the empire's 
temples. 

The Jews would not abide by this order to have 
images placed within their own temple. Caligula 
was enraged when the Jews refused to pay him 
homage. He then ordered Petronius, the Roman 
Governor of Syria, to have a high brass image of 
him cast, and then placed in the Jews' temple by 
force. Petronius hated such an assignment but 
acquiesced, telling the brass-founders not to rush 
the work, but to take it very leisurely. The 
Jews insisted that the image should not be placed 
in their temple, and if it were, it would be only 
over their dead bodies. 

This developed into a contention which brought 
forth the distinctive characteristics of both races. 
Caligula became impatient with Petronius' slow, 
deliberate methods, and demanded that the work 
be hastened lest Petronius be beheaded (a method 
often used, for heads were of little consequence to 
Caligula). 

At the time when Paul turned to the sunlight of 

91 


THE LIFE OF 


spirit, one of the darkest periods in the history of 
the Roman Empire made a stain across the 
pages of time. Slaughter, bloodshed, and rebel¬ 
lion threatened all Jerusalem. After three years of 
preparation, the image ordered by the emperor was 
not forthcoming. The strain of the demand ended, 
for the emperor died. Wantonness dominated 
Rome with a carnal grip, but it was not yet at 
its lowest depths of degradation. Idolatry existed 
in every land, and the serpent of lust mesmerized 
the citizenry into all the vices known to mortal 
man. Rumors of this condition reached Paul from 
time to time. 

It was not so difficult for Paul and Philip to cast 

aside the various old rules regarding certain food- 

\ 

stuffs, as it proved to be for Peter. 

Cornelius sent a dispatch to Peter requesting 
that he pay him a visit. He was a Roman soldier 
of Italian birth, but Peter set aside former preju¬ 
dices regarding foreigners, and accepted his invi¬ 
tation. He spoke to Cornelius of Christianity in 
persuasive language. ^^I perceive that God is no 
respecter of persons; but in every nation he that 
feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is ac¬ 
cepted of him.'' As a result of this instruction 
Cornelius and his entire family were baptized as 

92 


I 


PAUL OF TARSUS 

Nazarenes. There were Nazarenes who objected 
to this because they believed that ^Hhe mark of the 
Jews'^ should be required first, before baptism as a 
Nazarene. '^But Peter rehearsed the matter from 
the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them, 
saying, ' I was in the city of Joppa praying: and 
in a trance I saw a vision, a certain vessel descend, 
as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven 
by four comers; and it came even to me: upon 
the which when I fastened mine eyes, I considered, 
and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild 
beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 
And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, 
Peter; slay and eat. What God hath cleansed, 
that call not thou common.^’' And they were 
convinced that Jesus intended his teachings for all 
mankind, regardless of creed, race, or color. 

Barnabas was an earnest Nazarene, working 
among men at Antioch. He needed Paul of Tar¬ 
sus to preach in the church there, so he set out to 
find him. ^^And when he had found him, he 
brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, 
that a whole year they assembled themselves with 
the church, and taught much people. And the 
disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.'' 
(Acts 11 : 26 ) 


93 


THE LIFE OF 


Just at the time when Paul established mighty 
works in Antioch, the emperor, Claudius, with 
glittering helmet and purple robe, entered England 
to rule over the country with his ''Roman Eagles/’ 

Beautiful Antioch was located on the banks of 
the Orontes River. Famous works of art deco¬ 
rated the palaces and gardens. A huge marble 
statue of Apollo, which stood majestically in the 
groves of Daphne, marked the center of pagan 
feasts and wild orgies. 

Traders from every foreign port visited Antioch, 
the capital of Syria, daily, except during the stormy 
season when danger attended all sea travel. 
Among the Nazarenes of Antioch were Simeon the 
Black, from Africa, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, 
a relative of Herod Antipas, the Jewish prince. 

Paul and Barnabas worked faithfully and pa¬ 
tiently together, teaching simple lessons and 
demonstrating the divine power that heals, by 
casting out disease. They expressed the power of 
at-one-ment with God. Word reached them of 
severe suffering of the Nazarene Jews in Jerusalem. 
They were being persecuted and lacked the mere 
necessities of existence. Paul’s practical Chris¬ 
tianity asserted itself, and he urged his brethren 
to remember the needs of their fellow workers. 

94 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Funds were essential to spread the gospel and give 
workers proper sustenance. 

Paul earned his own livelihood by means of his 
trade, but Peter and his wife accepted remunera¬ 
tion for church services. Their missionary activi¬ 
ties carried them far and near, and many of their 
stops were too brief to engage in business pursuits. 

The subject of money was one the sensitive Paul 
evaded. He was sensitive regarding it when in 
any way it affected his own apostolic efforts. 
He wished to give to his followers no impression 
by which the purpose of his sacred calling could 
ever be misinterpreted. When he departed for 
Jerusalem, he took Titus, a young Greek, with 
him. The state of poverty in Jerusalem was 
serious, and the lamentable fact became known far 
abroad. Queen Helena of Adiabene, in Asia, 
heard of the dreadful famine. She purchased 
great quantities of corn from Egypt and figs 
from Cyprus, adding various other loads of food¬ 
stuffs for distribution among the poor of Jeru¬ 
salem. Titus was a receptive new student and 
gained much from his association with Paul on 
this Jerusalem trip. 

Paul's teaching among the people of Jerusalem 
was then prohibited, due to his change of faith. 

95 


THE LIFE OF 


He prayed fervently for guidance at this trying 
time, and received this divine command: ''De¬ 
part. I will send you far hence to foreigners.'' 
After this prayerful communion with the Father 
he told his associates of God's command and his 
decision to obey. Leading Christians of the city 
met in the house of Mary, sister of Barnabas, 
whose son Mark was invited to join Paul's active 
workers. 

Paul was absent from his followers in Antioch 
for one year. When he returned he related many 
touching messages of gratitude from sufferers in 
Jerusalem. There was rejoicing that the deadly 
cries from the jaws of famine had been silenced 
with plenty. In his preaching in Antioch he par¬ 
ticularly accentuated the figure of speech used by 
Jesus: "I am the bread of life that came down 
from heaven — not the manna, of which those who 
ate were long since dead, but the bread which 
gives eternal life." The idea of eating was a meta¬ 
phor for receiving spiritual benefit. In Eccle¬ 
siastes, allusion made to food and drink meant 
study of the law and the practice of good works. 

Abiding symbols of the Last Supper were dwelt 
upon specifically in Paul's preaching. "As human 
nature requires daily sustenance, so the spiritual 

96 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


nature which is contained in the life of man needs 
daily spiritual nurture. Growth of the measure of 
the fullness of Christ demands as imperatively the 
renewing of that spiritual food. The heavenly 
food in the wilderness and the ever-flowing rock 
which accompanied the wanderers in the desert 
are manifestations of the same spiritual power of 
the divine mind."' 

Thus Paul gave to the world a clear sense of God 
as a being of inflnite love and wisdom. He ad¬ 
vised his followers to avoid unnecessary suffering, 
and adhere strictly to God’s law in obedience. He 
taught that a great sacrifice in materiality must 
precede spiritual advancement. ‘'Let us lay aside 
every weight, and the sin which doth so easily 
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that 
is set before us.” He admitted that the desires of 
the flesh seemed as a carnal law, forever warring 
against the law of spirit, which means freedom and 
dominion within. Paul was faithful to his ideals 
and the high calling of Christ Jesus. 


97 


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CHAPTER VI 

PERPLEXITIES — AND PURPOSE 

In his own individual experience Paul had per¬ 
sistent problems of hereditary tendencies to meet, 
and he was often perplexed, as all mortals are at 
times. He discerned weak traits of character to 
be falsities of the dream existence; and he knew 
man to be divinely authorized to rebuke and de¬ 
stroy all such errors, which render him unlike the 
perfect one. 

He learned patience with his associates. Peter 
was at times rash, then again timid. The fisher¬ 
man disciple sincerely tried to obey Jesus’ teach¬ 
ings from the day that he confessed to him, ‘‘Thou 
art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

Jesus understood that he glimpsed somewhat 
of the truth and he answered, ^ “And I say 
also unto thee, that thou art Peter, which means 
rock, and upon this rock I will build my 
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail 
against it.” 

Early training and uncertain allegiances were 
handicaps to Peter, for he impetuously wavered at 

98 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


times. Paul saw that right motives and self-im¬ 
molation would ultimately govern Peter’s work 
and erase his wavering, but it was indeed a solu¬ 
tion of time. 

Pagan Antioch was dissolute, and in Corinth and 
Paphos at this period sex indulgences were re¬ 
garded by a cult as an act of worship, consequently 
they were advocated generally, and licentious idol¬ 
atry became the materialists’ creed. 

Paul taught continuously that “only the pure 
in heart can see God.” The nature worship of the 
ancient Greek, Roman, and Syrian was similar to 
carnivals of lust of all ages and people. 

In that first era of darkest pagan practices, deep- 
rooted Christianity laid its church foundations 
firmly, and they were destined to endure. The 
pure, white blossom of Christian deliverance 
sprang from the mire of debauchery. Christianity 
began its brilliant lighting, and harmonies of peace 
sang in the hearts of good men. 

Paul’s mission was as a bright lantern held aloft 
in the abject darkness of pagan night — the dark¬ 
est era of the world’s history! When the rays of 
awakening penetrated in a slight degree, right 
building began upon the earth. He taught that 
m an was the architect of his own spiritual selfhood 

99 


THE LIFE OF 


and master of etemality. Elysium, garden of 
divine delights, depicted etemality of the land of 
promise. 

The mesmeric mist of sense was dense, and An¬ 
tioch did not respond generally to the voice of 
Christianity; however, Paul, the Jew of Tarsus, 
and Barnabas, the Jew of Cyprus, gave much of 
glorified, spiritualized thinking to the people there. 
With Mark they traveled to Cyprus to take up their 
work. As they entered the harbor of Salamis, at 
the mouth of the River Pediceus, they beheld the 
blue and white-capped mountains rising from a 
cluster of wild hill-ruggedness, and a futuristic 
black and white beach below. 

In Cyprus Paul recognized the same kind of 
riotous living which existed at Antioch and Tarsus. 
Apollo, the idol of the sun, was worshipped in 
Antioch, while Venus, the idol of lovely woman¬ 
hood, reigned at Cyprus. The priests created a 
story about Venus which the gullible citizens 
actually believed. Venus was thought to have 
risen from the foaming blue waves and landed 
upon the white sandy beach of an island where 
she made her home ever afterward. For that 
reason (according to superstitious beliefs), their 
women were so beautiful, tall, and graceful. This 

100 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


story had no abiding place in Paul's thought, for 
superstition and logic could not dwell together. 

Paul and Barnabas took many short trips to 
remote villages out of Salamis. They stopped at 
metal ore and salt mines, quarries, factories, and 
village squares. Frequently they spent the night 
in a miner's hut or in the bark tents of some 
shepherd. Again, they rested beneath the sky 
canopy dotted with a million stars, flickering like 
petulant fireflies above. 

The city of Paphos was unlike Salamis. It 
attracted many pleasure-seekers and wasters. 
Fashionable women were carried through the streets 
daily on gaudy couches. Their coiffures were 
carefully hennaed a bright orange color, and their 
dark eyes heavily shadowed with black cosmetic. 

Sergius Paulus was the Roman Governor of 
Cyprus. He was a man of culture, and was inter¬ 
ested in progressive activities abroad, as well as at 
home. Elymas, a star-worshipper, greatly amused 
him because of his claims to magical skill. When 
the governor heard of the preaching of Paul and 
Barnabas, he sent for them to come before him. 
He may have considered that a debate between 
Paul and Elymas would prove highly entertaining. 
He possessed a certain pride of mind. 

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Paul and Barnabas entered the palace. Mark 
accompanied them. The governor reclined upon 
his low couch and scrutinized the guests as they 
meekly crossed the colored tiled floors with their 
naked feet. The wife of Paulus reclined in a robe 
of clinging rose silk. 

Sergius Paulus was sincerely gratifled to meet 
Paul, a Roman citizen of Tarsus and a scholar of 
Jerusalem. His identification carried a degree of 
prestige with the governor. There were also guests 
present to hear Paul speak. 

The listeners were attentive as he spoke, and the 
governor ^‘desired to hear the word of God.’^ A 
meeting was later arranged for Paul to meet 
Elymas in debate. The magician was crafty, and 
used superstitious ramblings, taunts, and lies to 
arouse Paul's anger. Impetuously Paul burst 
forth in merited rebuke: ^'"0 full of all subtlety 
and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou 
enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to 
pervert the right ways of the Lord ? . . . behold, 
the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt 
be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.' And 
immediately there fell on him a mist and a dark¬ 
ness; and he went about seeking some one to 
lead him by the hand." 


102 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Sergius Paulus arose from his couch and, with 
deep feeling exclaimed, do believe in Jesus 
And when he returned to Rome he spoke of the 
wondrous teachings of the apostle Paul. Because 
of this sympathetic interest, the Nazarenes 
were assured of a comfortable sojourn in 
Cyprus. 

Ten years passed, and gradually Paul's vision 
grew more clarified. His power for good could 
not be denied. With Barnabas, Mark, and several 
friends he set sail in an open boat, which they had 
engaged for the trip, to journey to the coast of 
Pamphylia. The boat was a coasting-vessel with 
one tall mast. The bow was partially decked and 
covered, to serve as a shelter from the sun during 
the day, and as a sleeping-place at night. After 
a few days at sea, they approached Perga with its 
noted race-course, and the white temple of Diana, 
huntress of the silver bow. Important wharves 
for foreign trade were located there. The weary 
travelers immediately found living-quarters in the 
Jewish settlement of the town. Because of the 
intense heat, Paul did not tarry long there but 
went up into the mountains. While there he 
wrote of robbers and wild beasts and narrow 
escapes. Mark, nephew of Barnabas, was not 

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impressed with the district or the possibilities it 
presented, so he set sail at once for Caesarea. 

Unlike Barnabas, the strong and handsome 
Levite, Paul suffered exhaustion and frequent ill¬ 
nesses. The strain of travel and numerous heart¬ 
aches, resultant from his mission, caused much 
discomfort. He rode slowly up slippery, rocky 
paths, and through numerous scorching valleys, 
and cold, rapid streams. Wlien they came to 
Neapolis, their next stop-over, he entered the 
synagogue with its dim light, and addressed the 
people. 

^'And the next Sabbath day came almost the 
whole city together to hear the word of God. But 
when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled 
with envy, and spake against those things which 
were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blasphem¬ 
ing.’' So the tall figure of Barnabas and the short 
one of Paul were seen hurrying from the temple 
by forceful request. The rabbis then influenced 
women of the town whose husbands were promi¬ 
nent, to have the teachers officially banished from 
the city. The plan materialized, and the two men 
were driven from the city gates, lashed by birch 
rods and left with bruised, bleeding backs. As 
they paused outside the gates Paul untied his stout 

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PAUL OF TARSUS 


shoes and shook well the grains of dust of Neapolis 
from them. But ^'the word of the Lord was 
published throughout all the region.^' 

They visited Iconium, a Roman garrison, walled 
securely with two miles of stone wall. The city 
nestled in gardens of fluffy blossoms and fruit- 
trees. The province was well protected from all 
invaders and lawlessness, but near Iconium lurked 
bandits who thrived on stolen bags of shekels 
taken from Jews who traveled unprotected to 
Jerusalem. 

Paul and Barnabas took up their weaving busi¬ 
ness, which they always synchronized with their 
church duties. There, as before, harmony reigned 
temporarily; then rebellion and resentment arose 
among them. 

"'The multitude of the city was divided, and 
part held with the Jews, and part with the apos¬ 
tles.^' The Jews disliked to see men of both high 
and low degree flowing freely into the circle of 
Nazarene worshippers. Paul gave the people 
definite instruction in the words of the blessed 
Master, ''For the whole Jewish law is contained in 
these words: Thou shalt love they neighbor as 
thyself, but if like wild animals ye begin to tear 
each other, take care lest you all be destroyed 

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together/’ Then the Jews planned to stone Paul 
and Barnabas and drive them from the city; 
but the two were protected by a warning, and fled 
before harm could befall them. Again the weavers’ 
looms must be set up in another city! The Greek 
city of Lystra was the next city visited. It was 
surrounded by country covered with grazing buf¬ 
falo herds, and in the salt marshes hundreds of 
black wild asses thrived. The city was a strong¬ 
hold for Roman soldiers, and opposition awaited 
the apostles there. Paul spoke to the people at 
bazaars and in market places, beseeching them to 
turn to God. 

A miracle was wrought there by Paul, which 
impressed the people more than preaching could 
do. A lame man,impotent in his feet . . . who 
never had walked,” sat among the listeners and 
was bidden by Paul, Stand upright on thy 
feet,’ and he leaped and walked” —much to the 
astonishment of all. 

Superstition governed the daily life of most of 
the citizens of Lystra. They believed in the story 
of Jupiter and Mercury, two imaginary gods who 
were supposed to have visited the country years 
before and wrought many strange wonders. So 
when they beheld a miracle performed at the hands 

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of Paul they shouted, ''The gods have come down 
to us in the likeness of men/^ Paul protested 
vigorously but to no avail. They believed Jupiter 
to be a very handsome being to gaze upon, while 
Mercury was accredited with a magic tongue. 
Thus they placed Barnabas as Jupiter, and Paul 
as Mercury. The two apostles were unaware of 
the emotional turmoil, and meekly returned to 
their humble abode. They never suspected the 
antics that were at that moment being planned by 
the populace. 

The priests were enthusiastic and ordered that a 
great ceremony be prepared for these two gods. 
They commanded two huge bulls to be brought 
forth, brushed, and oiled for sacrificial services. 
Ropes of red roses were twined about the bodies 
of the animals. A long procession of fanatics 
marched with solemnity to the public altar of 
Jupiter to offer sacrifices to the strange new¬ 
comers. A messenger delivered this amazing 
news to Paul and Barnabas, midst wildly crashing 
cymbals, booming gongs, and tooting horns. The 
shock to the unsuspecting ones was beyond ex¬ 
pression. They were thunderstruck at such in¬ 
famy, and they perceived that their efforts had all 
been misinterpreted. Paul begged them to be 

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sensible. We are only men, like yourselves, who 
have brought glad news of the Christ, to turn away 
from vanities, useless sacrifices and images of stone 
to worship of the living God who made the earth 
and sky and all that is therein.'' 

What a picture of humility Paul presented as 
he stood in the sunshine amid white-robed priests 
and draped shiny bulls that snorted against flower 
garlands. Autumn fruits were piled in a high 
colorful pyramid — crimson berries, red apples, 
purple grapes, golden dates, and branches of 
golden brown leaves! Tenderly he spoke of God's 
abundance and never failing care. ''In long past 
years God left the nations of the world to walk in 
their own ways, and yet you are never without 
evidence of God's constant care for you. In the 
rain he sends you the fruitful seasons which will 
fill your homes with food and your hearts with 
gladness." The ceremony of idolatry ended, and 
men sought their homes in wonderment — while 
the bulls went back to their stalls. 

Paul encountered mistaken friends there in the 
city of black rock. Timothy joined him there. 
Timothy's grandmother, Lois, and his mother, 
Eunice, were very gracious to the travelers. While 
Paul and Barnabas worked there, lies from other 

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PAUL OF TARSUS 


cities followed them; consequently the people 
were soon stirred up against them. Stories were 
broadcast that Paul and Barnabas were driven 
from Antioch, and fled from Iconium. One day 
as Paul preached to the people in the open air, 
irate Jews approached him as he spoke, and in 
frenzied hatred they began their cruel torture with 
flying stones. He did not run away to avoid the 
missiles, and a heavy stone struck him and his 
bleeding form fell unconscious to the ground. 
They jeered and scoffed and dragged his body 
through the streets over stony pavements and 
threw it in a heap outside the city gates. 

His friends rallied around him, and tenderly car¬ 
ried him to a secluded spot of the countryside. 
Barnabas rolled his own cloak into a pillow for 
Paul's head, and sprinkled fresh water over his 
besmirched face. When darkness fell upon the city, 
his friends helped him back to comfortable quar¬ 
ters, where they nursed him back to strength again. 

Paul had overcome animosity in his thinking. 
He forgave the abuse of injustice. He knew if 
the gentle Master could walk the road of thorns, 
he, too, could stand scourgings, stonings, buffeting, 
imprisonment — even death! Bravely and cour¬ 
ageously he trudged on! 

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Young Timothy could not forget this cruelty to 
the beloved apostle, nor understand why his 
saintly efforts could be so outraged. With ripe 
maturity he would learn the price of martyrdom. 

Bruised and sad at heart, Paul rode away from 
Lystra and into Derbe where winter creeps quickly 
upon the fall. In this snow-bound town he settled 
down for a period of seclusion with his rolls of 
papyrus which were in preparation, before a large 
fire of popping, resinous wood knots. When Paul 
was not permitted to preach, he could still send 
back epistles for his people. His Biblical teachings 
live for us through these writings. 

Eager seekers of the truth often came to his 
small room to hear him talk. They huddled by 
the fire and listened intently. The love of money 
is the root of all evil, and many, by reaching and 
following after it, have been led astray from the 
true faith, and have pierced themselves through 
with many sorrows. Goodness with contentment 
is great gain."’ When snowdrifts melted and 
flowed in leaping streams down mountain-sides, 
the two travelers, Paul and Barnabas, moved on 
the open roads. 

They journeyed to Antioch where church dis¬ 
cipline needed their attention. Paul avoided any 

110 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


possible friction there by absenting himself from 
the synagogue, where he had previously aroused 
much consternation. After rules and regulations 
had received the necessary stimulation, they de¬ 
parted, crossing the flooded river by a narrow 
bridge and entering into Perga, Pamphylia. Im¬ 
mortal words were left there for his followers to 
ponder: ^‘Thou are inexcusable, 0 man, whoso¬ 
ever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou 
judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for 
thou that judgest doest the same things.’^ ‘"But 
we are sure that the judgment of God is according 
to Truth.'' 

The travelers went on to Attalia, where they 
did not remain, but continued on to Seleucia by 
ship, Paul paying brass and copper coins of queer 
design for the passage fare. Again in Antioch, he 
resumed his trade activities. There he found 
that Peter, white-haired and slightly bent, was 
falling into the deceitful mesh of the Jews. The 
subject of circumcision was causing great discord. 
Some contended, “ Except ye be circumcised after 
the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved." Few 
could understand the freedom which Paul preached, 
because their bondage of false beliefs was tra¬ 
ditional. He wished to settle the argument about 

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circumcision authoritatively. He hurriedly left 
for Jerusalem accompanied by Barnabas and Peter. 
They passed through Phenice and Samaria, and 
when they arrived in Jerusalem they went to the 
home of Mark's mother. 

The church meeting which convened there was 
presided over by the aged James. Paul won the 
argument for the foreigners, thus establishing their 
rights to enter Christian churches, as Jesus taught. 
He questioned, "'Did not Jesus receive with ten¬ 
derness women, and were they not without this 
mark of traditional custom?" Apparently James 
agreed with Paul, but deep within his thought 
there still remained a few ideas of early training. 
He may have disliked Paul's free, open thought 
and liberal interpretations, for instead of sending 
back the important message to Christians of 
Antioch, he sent for the prophets, Judas and Silas, 
and commissioned them to convey the letter. 
James established a Christian college at Jerusa¬ 
lem, although he had not personally overcome some 
of the customs of his people. Paul regretted that 
there were many who adulterated the pure truths 
which Christ Jesus taught. They could not 
realize that creeds were meaningless to infinity. 

On their return to Antioch, the letter was read 

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PAUL OF TARSUS 


from the reader^s desk by Judas and Silas, causing 
the teachings of the apostle, Paul, to stand ap¬ 
proved in the eyes of the congregation. Judas 
returned to Jerusalem, but ‘'it pleased Silas to 
abide there still ” and work with Paul and Barnabas 
in Antioch. 


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CHAPTER VII 
THECLA AND PAUL 

(According to the Apocryphal New Testament trans¬ 
lated by Montague Rhodes James, Litt. D., F.B.A., 
F.S.A., Provost of Eton; sometime Provost of King^s 
College, Cambridge, England.) 

At one time while Paul preached in Iconium, a 
beautiful young maiden named Theda listened 
intently to his words. She was betrothed to 
Thamyris, but when she heard Paul preaching, 
^'Blessed are the bodies of the virgins, for they 
shall be well pleasing with God and shall not lose 
the reward of their continence (chastity); for the 
word of the Father shall be unto them a work of 
salvation in the day of his son and they shall have 
rest, world without end,'' she meditated prayer¬ 
fully. Then she relinquished her betrothal to serve 
God. For three days and nights she sat silently 
by an open window as one in a maze, pondering 
the words of Paul. Her mother, Theocleia was 
greatly annoyed by her daughter's strange conduct, 
for she desired to see her daughter married to 
Thamyris. However, the power of divine love 

114 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


illumined the girl's heart and human ties seemed no 
longer to be a vital necessity in her life. She 
sought Paul one day and implored him to teach 
her the lessons of Christianity. He was impressed 
with her sincerity and receptivity, but hesitated 
about taking the lovely young woman under his 
tutelage. 

Thamyris was dismayed and questioned, openly, 
the legal right of Paul to defraud young men of 
wives, and maidens of husbands, by advising them 
in his sermons to refrain from marriage. He could 
not understand how his own human desires could 
be denied, and the impersonal love which Theda 
knew for Paul was beyond the materialist's compre¬ 
hension. 

Theda's own great ambition became to follow 
in the footsteps of the Master and unselfishly live 
to help humanity. Thamyris was a prominent 
young man in the city, and had no difficulty in 
appealing to the governor and having Paul impris¬ 
oned. 

At night Theda secretly visited the prison. She 
gave her bracelets to the doorkeeper, and a silver 
mirror to the jailor, that she might enter into Paul's 
cell. She had the simplicity and innocence of a 
child, and sat at his feet and learned more and 

115 


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more of the Christ love which heals. When her 
pure thought touched the hem of the Christ gar¬ 
ment in consecration, she was destined to become 
a virgin martyr whose name is reverently recorded 
in the early Christian Church documents as well 
as the Apocryphal New Testament. 

Paul was scourged and sent from the city, be¬ 
cause the people believed him to be possessed of 
mysterious, magic sorcery. Consternation against 
the behavior of Theda aroused the people and she 
was called before the governor. He questioned 
her, Why wilt thou not marry Thamyris accord¬ 
ing to the law of the Iconians?’' She remained 
calm and silent. She could give no answer which 
they would understand. Her mother, Theocleia 
was outraged at her conduct and cried out aloud: 
^'Burn the lawless one; burn her that is no bride 
in the midst of the theatre that all the women 
which have been taught by this man Paul may be 
affrighted.'' So she was condemned to die, and 
was delivered naked before the governor, while 
youths and maidens willingly hastened to bring 
wood and hay to build the fire. The governor 
marvelled at the power of the girl Theda. Her 
face shone with sublime beauty as she mounted 
upon the pyre. She made the sign of the cross and 

116 


PAUL OF TARSUS 

turned her face heavenward for infinite protection 
— above the earth. She could see the fiames leap¬ 
ing up about her, but she felt only the warmth of 
loving protection enfold her and she was not 
afraid. The fire never touched her, for suddenly 
sounds of a storm rumbled, and the clouds poured 
forth rain and hail, extinguishing the flames en¬ 
tirely. Theda knew that she had been preserved 
by the hand of God. Immediately she sought Paul 
and found him kneeling in prayer, saying, '‘0 
Father of Christ let not the fire take hold of Theda, 
but spare her for she is Thine.Standing behind 
him she cried in exultant tones, "'0 Father that 
madest heaven and earth, I bless Thee for that 
Thou hast preserved me from the fire that I might 
see Paul.'' The prayer of Paul continued: ^"0 
God, the knower of hearts, I bless Thee that Thou 
hast speedily accomplished that which I asked of 
Thee and hast hearkened unto me," and he arose 
from the spot where he knelt. 

There was rejoicing in the family of Onesiphor- 
ous, where Paul sojourned, because Theda had 
been saved. Theda confided to Paul, ''I will cut 
my hair around about and follow thee whitherso¬ 
ever thou goest." But he answered severely: 
''The time is ill-favored and thou art comely." 

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But Theda insisted, ^^Only give me the seal in 
Christ and temptation shall not touch me” And 
he answered, ^'Have patience, Theda, and thou 
shalt receive the baptism/’ 

Paul took Theda with him to Antioch. There 
a certain Syriarch named Alexander saw her, and 
became enamored and charmed with her beauty. 
He caused much disturbance by his persistent love- 
making. Theda rent his coat and took his wreath 
from his head and made him a laughing-stock in 
public. Alexander was humiliated and infuriated 
and caused her to be summoned before the gover¬ 
nor. She confessed that she had done all the things 
he charged, and she was condemned to the beasts. 

Tryphaena, a rich queen, widow of Cotys, king 
of Thrace, mother of Polemo, King of Pontus, took 
Theda into her home for safe-keeping. She had 
had a daughter, Falconilla, who had died. She 
believed that her daughter spoke to her in a dream 
saying, ^'Mother, thou shalt take in my stead 
Theda, the stranger that is desolate, that she may 
pray for me, that I be translated into the place of 
the righteous.” 

At the appointed time the beasts were led into 
the arena in usual procession. Theda was bound 
to a fierce lioness. The people ''marveled when 

118 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


they saw what power God hath given unto men/" 
for the lioness licked the feet of Theda and would 
not harm her. 

Queen Tryphaena received Theda after the pro¬ 
cession, and wailed aloud that such great beauty as 
Theda’s was destined to be cast unto the beasts to 
destroy. Again the governor sent soldiers to fetch 
Theda to the Arena. The queen wept bitterly 
because of this continued persecution for His 
sake. 

Theda was rudely taken from the protecting 
arms of Tryphaena, stripped, and a girdle placed 
upon her. She was then cast into the stadium 
before many spectators and lions and bears were 
set against her. A savage lioness ran toward her, 
but strangely, she paused and lay down meekly at 
her feet. When a ferocious bear leaped toward 
Theda, the lioness arose and fought off the beast 
and tore him asunder. A trained lion belonging to 
Alexander ran toward the girl; the faithful lioness 
wrestled with the lion, but she was slain in the 
combat. Women moaned and groaned when this 
thing happened. Theda stretched forth her hands 
and prayed for deliverance. She was directed to 
turn and behold a tank of water. She cast herself 
into the water, murmuring as she did so, ''In the 

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name of Jesus Christ, so I baptize myself on this 
last day/' All the people wept. The governor 
was moved to melancholia and regretted that the 
beautiful girl would so soon be devoured by the 
seals in the tank. Light, like a flash of fire, shot 
through the skies suddenly and into the arena, and 
behold the seals were seen floating dead on the 
top of the water. A cloud of fire encircled Theda 
and the beasts could not touch her, neither could 
she be seen by the people to be naked. Alexander 
was not satisfied that his plans were a failure, so 
he suggested to the governor that his own bulls be 
used for the purpose of killing Theda. He was 
certain that the animals could be enraged by plac¬ 
ing hot irons beneath their abdomens. The gov¬ 
ernor wished to cease the torture of Theda, but 
Alexander continued his cruel pursuit. 

Theda was bound by the feet between the bulls, 
but the flame that burned about her burned 
through the ropes, and again she was unharmed. 
Queen Tryphaena fainted at the entry of the bulls, 
and loud cries of Queen Tryphaena is dead!" 
rent the air. The governor stopped the games at 
once, and Alexander in fearful, superstitious panic 
besought the governor to free all the condemned 
ones before Caesar's wrath should be showered 

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PAUL OF TARSUS 


upon the city because of the fate of his kinswoman, 
Queen Tryphaena. 

The governor called Theda before him and 
inquired: ^^Who art thou and what hast thou 
about thee that not one of the beasts hath touched 
thee?’' She answered: am the handmaid of 

the living God. I have believed on God and His 
Son. For He alone is the way of salvation and the 
substance of life immortal; for unto them that are 
tossed about, He is a refuge; unto the oppressed, 
relief; unto the despairing, shelter; and in a word, 
whosoever believeth on Him shall not die, but live 
everlastingly.” 

The governor ordered garments brought to clothe 
Theda and released her saying, ''I release unto you 
Theda, the godly servant of God.” When Try¬ 
phaena recovered, she was told of Theda’s freedom, 
and before a great gathering of people she declared, 
"'Now do I believe that my child liveth.” Theda 
went to the home of Tryphaena and rested for 
eight days where she taught the word of God to 
the entire household and they rejoiced in this con¬ 
fidence. 

Theda followed Paul to Myra, though he en¬ 
treated her to ^'go and teach the word of God,” 
and she returned to Iconium after leaving with 

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Paul much gold and apparel, from Queen Try- 
phaena, for the ministry of the poor. When she 
arrived in her home city she found Thamyris dead. 
Her life was dedicated to preaching and teaching. 
She lived to be ninety years old. It is believed 
that she went to Rome by the underground road, 
for her body was buried there. Her Christian 
influence grew over East and West and made her 
the most famous of early virgin martjrs. From 
the simple faith of a young girl arose the strong and 
popular cult of the Saint Theda of history. 


122 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


CHAPTER VIII 
THE CROSS 

Paul endeavored to visit frequently the numer¬ 
ous small churches which he had established. He 
prepared to make such a journey, and Barnabas 
would not accompany him unless his nephew Mark 
could go also. Paul preferred having Silas accom¬ 
pany them. They could not agree upon the sub¬ 
ject, and by this trivial inharmony the two friends, 
Paul and Barnabas, parted, never to meet again. 
Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus; Silas accom¬ 
panied Paul back to Tarsus. 

Paul remembered sadly that his parents no 
longer lived to greet him on his return; but he 
found many of his old friends there who would 
always love Paul, the man, as they had loved Paul, 
the lad. 

In Tarsus he wrote: ''And thus did Jesus, by 
His death, reconcile Jews and strangers in one 
God, having slain the enmity between them; 
preaching good tidings to the foreigners afar off, 
and to the Jews who are near. Foreigners then 
are no more foreigners and travelers, but fellow 

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citizens with the Christians and members of the 
household of God, in a house built upon the foun¬ 
dation laid by the apostles and the prophets; Jesus 
himself being the chief comer stone, in whom all 
building rightly put together grows into a holy 
temple in the Lord. And thus are you built to¬ 
gether for a dwelling-place of God in the Spirit.’" 

From Tarsus, Paul and Silas traveled over the 
dark mountains to Derbe and Lystra, where Paul 
admonished the Christians to ''put on the new life 
of righteousness, speaking no falsehood to each 
other, and forgiving as Jesus forgave all transgres¬ 
sions.” 

Paul rejoiced to see Timothy at Lystra. He 
admired the youth’s staunch stand for Christian¬ 
ity, and often spoke of him as his "beloved son,” 
and "true child in the faith of Jesus.” He warned 
him to refrain from listening to the appeal of all 
false gods. "Fight a good fight; hold to the 
faith; keep a good conscience; refuse to listen to 
bad stories and old wives’ tales. Exercise for the 
body is good, but activity in goodness of thought 
is better; strive, work, and seek righteousness in 
all ways. May the favor of God be with you.” 

Numerous villages and remote hamlets were 
visited by Paul, Silas, and Timothy en route to the 

124 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


rich province of Bithynia. They were directed to 
go westward to the great city of Troy at the edge 
of the Aegean Sea. They traversed the battle¬ 
fields of Homer's poems, and they rode past mystic 
Mysia. The trip proved a hard one for Paul. He 
now felt the hardship of the inconvenient sleeping- 
places which they visited along the way, as well as 
the tiresome jolting over steep hills. 

In Troy he met the beloved physician, Luke, who 
wrote the narrative of his life in the Acts of the 
Apostles, and became Paul's loyal friend. While 
in an exalted state of . thought there, he dreamed 
that a man from Macedonia stood beside his bed 
holding out his hand, begging him to come over the 
sea to help him. The next morning Paul confided 
this significant dream to Luke, Silas, and Timothy, 
and they all interpreted it as meaning that God's 
wish was for him to go and teach in Macedonia, 
near the coast. 

This meant a long boat trip, followed by a land 
journey on donkeys. So they started off for 
Philippi with Luke as a guide. At length they 
reached Philippi, the city named for Philip of 
Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. 

Upon their arrival they were informed that the 
Christians met for prayer in a quiet spot by the 

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river in a green vale at a little distance. On the 
Sabbath day the four set out to find the place of 
worship. They found the worshippers in a deep 
hollow amid roses and bushes. Much to Paul's 
astonishment, they were all women. The most 
important person among them was Lydia, who was 
clad in beautiful purple. She was a native of 
Thyatira, a town in Asia, eighty miles away from 
Troy, famous for its dyed cloths. She sold these 
materials to the people of Philippi, and was re¬ 
garded as a woman of discrimination and wealth. 
She was not a Jewess, but she worshipped God 
according to Paul's teachings. She was a recep¬ 
tive follower, and asked baptism for herself and all 
her children. 

Paul and his three associates, Luke, Silas, and 
Timothy, accepted Lydia's invitation to become 
her house guests during their sojourn in Philippi. 
So the first Christian that Paul won in Europe was 
a woman. The fold grew, and soon word was 
broadcast that there were strange teachings being 
uttered there under the trees by the river. The 
citizens regarded it all with some mystery and sus¬ 
picion. 

There was a slave girl in the city who had the 
ability to throw her voice as our modem ventrilo- 

126 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


quists do. Her weird antics on the city streets 
brought her owners neat sums of money. She was 
fascinated by the sight of Paul and his brethren, and 
followed them many times to their retreat of wor¬ 
ship. 

In doing this she neglected her performances for 
the people who paid well for her strange prophecies. 
One day she followed the disciples along the streets 
and cried aloud, These men are the slaves of 
the Most High who tell you the way to be saved,'' 
and people were very curious and questioned her. 
She tossed her luxuriant dark tresses wildly and 
defiantly continued to pursue the four Nazarenes. 
This annoyed Paul, and he turned around and 
spoke to her emphatically as if addressing the 
demon within her, saying, I tell you in the name 
of Jesus Christ come out of the girl." She stared 
into Paul's face with amazement, and she was 
unable to call to them again. The mesmerism of 
false belief which held her in bondage had been 
broken, and she could no longer amuse the public 
with her eccentricities. The men who owned her 
were sorely displeased at this evident change, and 
they sought out Paul to punish him. Angry 
people were soon attracted, and surrounded Paul 
and Silas, and dragged and buffeted them through 

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the streets. They were brought before the chief 
magistrates, who sat in dignity bedecked in rich 
damask cloaks bordered with gaudy purple. The 
charge which rang out against them resounded in 
loud denunciation: "'These men are Jews. They 
are troubling our city greatly by teaching the peo¬ 
ple customs which it is lawless for us to accept; 
for we are all Romans.’' On all sides the cries 
rang out, "Jew! Jew!” As a sign of anger, the 
judges tore off their own tunics before the gaze of 
the motley crowd. The sergeants were ordered to 
beat the two offenders, Paul and Silas, with rods. 

The two disciples were immediately rushed to 
the whipping-post in the market square. They 
were stripped to the waist, and made to face the 
post, with their hands tied behind it. The crowd 
laughed and scoffed as the naked backs were 
flogged with fierce strokes from birch rods, until 
they became a bruised network of trickling red. 

Then they were taken to the common jail and 
thrown into a foul-smelling dungeon without win¬ 
dows. In a corner there was mildewed straw for 
beds, unused, as the prisoners’ feet were safely 
thrust into wooden stocks fixed securely to the 
walls. This was a revolting experience for Paul 
and his companion. 


128 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


In the black of the night they raised their voices 
in songs of praise to God. Other prisoners heard 
the sweet melodies floating through the still air, 
and a great perplexity fell upon all within the 
prison. It was such a sultry night that sounds 
pierced peculiarly. Suddenly the earth quivered, 
heaving prison doors creaked, and pillars dropped 
in a crash, sending forth terrifying alarm. The 
prisoners' stocks were loosened from the walls. 
It was an earthquake, and doors of the prison were 
rocked open. Freedom beckoned the prisoners. 
The jailor awoke, and in terror ran about to make 
sure that there were no escapes. He became 
panicky and was about to fall upon his own sword 
rather than face punishment for the escape of his 
prisoners. From a distant dark comer Paul's 
voice rang out clearly, ‘‘Do not stab yourself, we 
are all here." Then in the faint lantern-light the 
jailer identified the two prisoners and bade them 
come out. 

It was an opportunity for Paul, and he told the 
jailer of the Christ truths and the protection of 
God. With new-born tenderness, the jailer took 
the two prisoners with him to his own home. 
There he washed their wounded backs and care¬ 
fully bathed them in soothing oils. 

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The jailer was astounded to learn of Paul's 
birthright as a Roman citizen, and abhorred the 
fact that such an error had been made. The son 
of a Roman citizen scourged in their city! The 
seed of true Christianity was planted there in that 
home, and the jailer and his entire family were 
baptized in the Christian faith. The men re¬ 
mained the jailer's honored guests until the next 
day. 

When word reached the magistrates that they 
had grossly insulted Roman citizens of great learn¬ 
ing, they were all grieved at their offence and were 
willing to make any amends in apology. Paul 
informed them that, the day before, they had 
given him no chance for explanation about his 
birthright. Paul well knew his rights as a free 
Roman citizen of Tarsus. Humble apologies fol¬ 
lowed the mistake, and official heads bent low before 
Paul and Silas in retribution for the errors made. 

During the weeks which followed, many seekers 
visited Lydia's home, and listened eagerly to Paul's 
eloquent teaching. His black hair now shone 
with streaks of silver, and his natal day marked 
half a century. Twenty years had his faithful 
hands clutched the cross of martyrdom for Jesus' 
sake. Nearly all his letters to the churches were 

130 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


dictated, and it was his custom to pen a few lines 
in his own characteristic broad scrawl at the close 
of the missives. His great courage never faltered 
and he breathed the strength of conquered fear. 
As years wore on, inspiration lived more closely in 
his discipleship. His thinking became more and 
more spiritualized, and his words of instruction 
reflected more exalted understanding of the living 
God. 

While they remained in the home of Lydia, many 
long winter hours passed in which Paul dictated 
epistles of immortal beauty. "'Work out your 
own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is 
God that worketh in you to will and to do His good 
pleasure.'’ His inspired epistles were not intended 
for one church alone, but were passed from one to 
the other in unifled purpose. The church he ad¬ 
dressed received the message first, then sent it on 
to the others. 

When Paul departed from Philippi he may have 
carried with him a letter from there to Thessa- 
lonica, where a resident named Jason became his 
host. A loving farewell was given to him by his 
new-found friends of Philippi, Sopater, Gains, and 
Secundus, Roman magistrates. 

Paul resumed his weaving and spinning for the 

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Thessalonica trade. Money was so scarce in 
Thessalonica at that time that it became necessary 
for Paul and Silas to work both day and night to 
earn sufficient money for their livelihood. (The 
coins used had a man's head stamped on one side 
and a winged woman on the other.) The two 
workers sold their wares in the market place and 
along the wharves, mingling with the crowds. The 
smoky oil lamps they used were not always pleasant 
in the long winter evenings, for the light was poor 
and the odor repellent. 

Paul spoke boldly to the Thessalonians. "'The 
Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and 
into the patient waiting for Christ. For we hear 
that there are some which walk among you dis¬ 
orderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 
Now them that are such we command and exhort 
by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they 
work, and eat their own bread. Be not weary in 
well doing." The followers there listened intently 
at first, then the old serpent of suspicion crept in 
with poisonous hatred in wranglings and disputes. 
Antagonists openly contradicted .Paul's words. 
He expressed great charity, gentleness, spirit in 
industry, the great love of which Drummond 
wrote. 


132 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


The most earnest Christian followers of Thessa- 
lonica were from the ranks of dyers, potters, sad¬ 
dlers, carpenters, boat-builders, tradesmen, sailors. 
Some were slaves, others, free-bom. Ofttimes 
men of profound learning were fired by Paul’s 
teachings. Many women, carefully hooded, stood 
spellbound to hear his words. These women were 
wives of rich citizens; but they did not hesitate to 
stand beside a slave girl to hear the Christ truth. 
‘^You need no instruction from me, for you are 
taught of God to love one another.” 

When the wintry blasts raged, Paul and Silas 
were sometimes hard-pressed for money. At this 
period, Epaphras, a messenger, came to them from 
Philippi and brought a present from Lydia and 
her coworkers there. The loving kindness which 
prompted this sending of gifts, touched Paul deeply 
as he unwrapped the offerings of dried fruits, 
parched corn, oil, wine, clothing^ and a little 
money. He expressed his gratitude with heartfelt 
sincerity. 

WTien spring appeared again, and boats began 
to move freely in the harbor, the success of the 
Christians seemed untouched by any traces of in¬ 
harmony. But in this very success lurked danger 
for Paul and Silas. A plot was planned in the 

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crowded market place. Wild announcements rent 
the air regarding their former imprisonment and 
flogging. Crowds move like puppets in waves of 
mesmerism. Excitedly the throng began to scoff 
and denounce the two disciples, and demand that 
they be summoned before magistrates. Hatred, 
the murderer of lovers purpose, was again at 
work! 

A motley crowd surged through the streets to 
Jason's house, reasoning among themselves, ‘‘Was 
not Jason too in league with the accused men?" 
Jason heard the mob and tried to hold the door 
against them. Wild cries from husky, mad throats 
shrieked, “Give up the strange Jews to us! Give 
them up!" They broke the door, and it fell in 
with a thud to the floor. Hundreds of angered 
fiends with swinging sticks poured into the hand¬ 
some house like wild horses that troop across west¬ 
ern mesa lands. The search began, but Paul and 
Silas could not be found. They charged them 
with plotting against the Roman emperor. Jason, 
and a few remaining Christian friends in the house, 
were ushered to the market place, and charged 
with conspiracy for housing criminals. Jason, 
being a man of wealth, furnished adequate bond 
money to release his friends and himself. Paul 

134 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


and Silas escaped. Faithful Jason would never 
deny his Christian faith at any time, and this glori¬ 
ous conviction of his became one of the stones laid 
in the firm foundation of the Christian church at 
Thessalonica. 

On the night of their escape, Paul and Silas 
wended their way in the moonlight, cautiously 
touching strange whitewashed walls of the Egna- 
tian Way, fleeing into the hillside town of Berea. 
This town was walled; it overlooked a wide plain 
and a forest, with singing waters dividing them. 
They found* friends everywhere. In Berea they 
visited friends, and were soon settled comfortably 
among their own countrymen. 

Paul spoke in the synagogue on the first Sabbath 
of their residence in Berea. Is God to be a God 
of Jews only ? Is he not one God who is also the 
God of foreigners? Yes, of foreigners also: for 
there is but one God, and by death He saves both 
Jews and strangers. So we then make the Jewish 
law of no effect through this faith? God forbid, 
for we establish it. Seek to be like God as beloved 
children, loving one another ever as Jesus loved 
you and gave himself for you, an offering and a 
sacrifice and incense of a sweet smell to God. See 
that unfaithfulness, impurity, and greed are not 

135 


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even named among you, as becomes Christians. 
Let there be giving of thanks; let no person deceive 
you with empty words, because of these things the 
wrath of God comes from disobedient men/^ 

Peace reigned there in quiet Berea, and those 
who did not agree with Paul’s teachings remained 
silent and considerate. Merchants with their 
camels, steaming with the touch of the elements of 
hot summer, daily passed back and forth through 
the stuffy narrow streets of Berea. 

Enemies finally found Paul at Berea, and he 
moved on alone. He crossed Macedonia and 
paused at the mouth of the harbor, undecided as 
to his destination. A boat appeared ready to sail 
for Athens, and he decided to go there. It was a 
trip of two hundred and fifty miles, and would take 
more than a week’s time. He believed that he 
would find temporary shelter in Athens from the 
storms of persecution. He missed his associates, 
Silas and Timothy, exceedingly on this voyage. 
The ocean trip was invigorating and restful to 
Paul. He loved the rhythmic song of the waves 
as they dashed snowy foam against the boat. He 
sailed down the gulf of Thessalonica close to the 
western shore, with cloudy Olympus, Ossa and 
Pelion, so famous in Greek poetry, appearing con- 

136 



PAUL OF TARSUS 


spicuously. Superstition caused the sailors to 
anchor at night, so in that way passengers and 
crew were lulled to sleep by the sound of lapping 
waves and splashing spray. During the daytime 
Paul sat in a secluded spot in the ship, and spiritual 
thoughts were undisturbed. Steadfast thoughts 
which wing down through all ages! '' Crushed on 
every side, yet not broken nor perplexed and not 
in despair; pursued but not overtaken, struck 
down but not destroyed; we do always bear about 
in our bodies the marks of the death of Jesus. His 
life may be shown forth in us. And we do not 
fall, for although our bodies weaken, our spirit is 
renewed day by day. These light afflictions which 
are but for a moment, work more and more for 
our everlasting glory, the while we look not on the 
things which are seen, but at the things which are 
not seen; for the things which are seen are tem¬ 
poral; but the things which are not seen are 
eternal.^' 

Paul saw the sun dance upon the white temple 
of Minerva on Cape Sunium in the faint distance, 
as the boat headed toward the picturesque gulf of 
Athens. Then he gradually entered the great har¬ 
bor of Piraeus, the seaport of Athens. Important 
granaries and produce buildings lined the port, 

137 


THE LIFE OF 


where meat, corn, flour, dried fruits, wine, oil, and 
fish awaited the Athenians' distribution. 

Athens is high in the beautiful hills. The road 
leading down to the sea from the city was once 
carefully protected with high walls known as '^long 
walls"; however, destructive warfare left many 
marks along the way. 

Some of man's finest creative work in marble 
statue and architectural building was done in 
Athens. As a city of art achievements, it was in¬ 
teresting to all travelers. 

Acquaintances from Berea accompanied Paul 
from Piraeus to Athens, and together they viewed 
the superb beauty of the hill of the Acropolis, with 
its temple buildings of gorgeous coloring and per¬ 
fect symmetry. There, glistening in the sunlight, 
stood the Parthenon, the largest of its kind! They 
beheld the bronze masterpiece of the great sculptor, 
Phidias. Minerva, with her shining armor and 
striking clearness of outline, could be seen for 
many miles at sea. 

Idolatry enveloped all Athens like a mist, but 
Paul understood the needs of the people. There 
were costly statues on all sides, made of richest 
agate and porphyry, marble and burnished gold 

with delicate shades blended into the scheme of 

138 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


creation. Years before, Paul, the learned youth, 
would have enjoyed Athens with enthusiasm; but 
now his interest and desire for the Christ vision, 
alone, filled his mind. How eager he was to re¬ 
lease the manacles of sense testimony which he 
beheld there all about him, and teach them the 
wealth of simplicity — His possessions! 

Gorgeous figures of ladies, bedecked with jewels, 
passed him on litters carried by garish slaves; 
rows of Greek women, in white and purple flowing 
robes, with hair coiled loosely, wearing gold and 
red sandals, moved about the streets of Athens. 
Flower-girls sold fresh blossoms on the street 
corners. 

Paul soon found his countrymen where they 
lived apart from the fair-complexioned Greeks of 
the city. When he was conducted to safe quarters, 
the Bereans left him and turned back to their own 
duties. They carried back a message to Silas and 
Timothy in which Paul urged their early joining 
him there. 

He seemed to be stifled with the atmosphere of 
the city, its rich glamour of literature, art, and 
idolatry! Heaviness bowed the figure with its 
brown cloak, for he realized the gigantic task, 
ahead, of establishing a Christian church in the 

139 


THE LIFE OF 


heart of Athens. False gods on every side! So- 
called philosophies of every nature were embraced 
by educated men. 

It was his custom upon arrival in a new city to 
speak in the Jewish synagogue. Here he gathered 
together people of all beliefs and spoke to them of 
Christianity. He remembered that Socrates had 
taught there many years before him in public talks. 
Plato, too, had spoken to interested listeners. 
Demosthenes spoke on Phyx Hill in the people's 
meeting-place, and in the great theatre of Diony¬ 
sius. Aeschylus had presentations of his play 
before thousands on marble tile seats beneath a 
brilliant yellow awning. 

As the years wore on, no one could mistake the 
fact that Paul was a Jew. Simplicity was exem¬ 
plified in all his ways. His penetrating glance 
scrutinized the passers-by who often thrust the 
meek man of God aside in the footpath. But these 
things could not now disturb him, for he had 
learned to love all mankind and forgive, as Jesus 
did. 

To the men of Corinth he wrote one of his epis¬ 
tles in which inspiration seems to have changed 
his usual style of diction. The thirteenth chapter 
of First Corinthians, a literary gem of the Bible, 

140 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


has been referred to by litterateurs as ^^The An¬ 
them of Love/' and ^'The Psalm of Love/' It was 
the ''Song of Love" for the New Testament, just 
as Solomon's "Song of Songs" is for the Old 
Testament. 

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and 
of angels, and have not charity, I am become as 
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and 
understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and 
though I have all faith, so that I could remove 
mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the 
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and 
have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity 
envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not 
puffed up. 

"Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not 
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 

"Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
truth; 

"Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth 
all things, endureth all things. 

"Charity never faileth: but whether there 
be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be 

141 


THE LIFE OF 


tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowl¬ 
edge, it shall vanish away. 

''For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 
For when that which is perfect is come, then that 
which is in part shall be done away. 

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I under¬ 
stood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I 
became a man, I put away childish things. 

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but 
then face to face: now I know in part; but then 
shall I know even as also I am known. 

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these 
three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

In the original, ancient interpretation, the word 
"charity’^ (from the Latin "canto’0 meant a 
great superior love. The reference to seeing 
"through a glass, darkly,'' may have been sug¬ 
gested by the inadequacy of the mirrors which were 
in use at that time. They were made of metal 
with a surface which was not true, and reflected 
distorted images. Paul's words signify that he 
visualized the perfect reflection. 

He strolled over the ground where Aristotle and 
his disciples trod by the Cephissus, with its fringe 
of silver-grey olive and green bay-trees and songs 
of nightingales. As he viewed the Academy where 

142 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Plato taught, probably he was impressed with the 
thought of many tongues referred to in his letter 
to the Corinthians. Did the knowledge depicted 
in door mottoes and statues, won as prizes, along 
unique Tripod Street, ring as empty cymbals and 
sounding brass in comparison with the priceless 
knowledge of God ? 

There, too, stood the Temple of the Winds where 
altars were erected to Pity, Modesty, Fame, Venus, 
and the Earth. High on the top of the temple 
stood a quaint little bronze man turning with 
switch in hand to designate the direction of the 
wind. Superstition thrived ^Tike a green bay- 
tree'' in Athens. Furies were supposed to dwell 
in a deep chasm of a rocky spot in the hill, and the 
people feared to approach it because it held a 
death penalty. Beside the river, Ilissus, and the 
Olympic arena, was the famous well of clear water 
called Callirhoe. 

Paul worked alone in Athens for three weeks. 
Then Silas and Timothy joined him there. The 
messages they delivered from other churches were 
not encouraging. Timothy conveyed word from 
Thessalonica that the Jews of the synagogue were 
cruelly persecuting the Christians. Silas brought 
tidings from Berea that Paul was forbidden to 

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THE LIFE OF 

return to Macedonia. Luke remained in Philippi. 
Then the two coworkers, Silas and Timothy, 
returned to Philippi and Thessalonica. An urgent 
letter was dispatched to the Thessalonians, at this 
time, from Paul. 

"'Rejoice in the Lord alway! In everything 
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let 
your requests be made unto God. And the peace 
of God, which passeth all understanding, shall 
keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’^ 
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. 
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of 
God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 
Brethren, be not weary in well doing. The grace 
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.^' 
In the painted porches of the market place he 
spoke to Stoics and Epicureans and often enjoyed 
mental sparring with men of alert intellectuality. 
His eloquence held many listeners until he began 
to propound the teachings of Christ Jesus. Then 
they ridiculed, and he was forced to turn to the 
plain tradesmen to tell his sacred message. 
Learned men of Athens inquired among them¬ 
selves, "What is this babbler trying to say?’’ 

There was an ancient council in Athens called 
the Areopagus, which at one time stopped Socrates 

144 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


from public speaking because they disapproved of 
his teachings. Scholarly men of old were unafraid, 
and met regularly in debate and pleasant social 
communion on Mars Hill, the mountain of red 
rock. The fathers of the city enjoyed this custom 
for many years. 

The council there summoned Paul before them. 
He slowly ascended the rock steps of Mars Hill 
and waited for the questioning. They asked: 
"'Will you tell us about this new teaching you are 
speaking of to the people? We hear that you are 
saying strange things, and we wish to know what 
they mean.’’ From the city streets below rose 
the faint, distant buzz of the moving populace. 

Paul placed reliance upon God as he spoke and 
divine strength fired his words. "Ye men of 
Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too 
superstitious. For as L passed by, and beheld 
your devotions, I found an altar with this inscrip¬ 
tion: "To The Unknown God.' Whom therefore 
ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." 
""Without knowing the unknown God you wor¬ 
ship him. It is about this unknown God that I 
speak to the people." 

There was a sudden stir among the white-robed 
men gathered within the marble circle. Paul 

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THE LIFE OF 


\ _ 

quoted freely from their well-loved classics. The 

listeners liked this, for they appreciated his knowl¬ 
edge of the Greek poets. A passage from Phae- 
nomena won their applause. He gained their 
attention by his learning and ability to speak. He 
praised their magnificent temples from the stand¬ 
point of artistic attainment. He then continued: 
^'Seeing, then, that we are all children of God, we 
ought not to think of Him as a figure shaped out of 
silver, gold or marble by the art and skill of man; 
neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though 
he needed anything, seeing that he giveth to all 
life, and breath and all things; and hath made of 
one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the 
face of the earth, and hath determined the times 
before appointed, and the bounds of their habita¬ 
tion; that they should seek the Lord, if haply 
they might feel after Him, though he be not far 
from every one of us; for in Him we live, and 
move, and have our being; as certain also of your 
own poets have said, for we are also His offspring." 

And when they heard of the resurrection of the 
dead some mocked; and others said, ^ We will hear 
thee again of this matter.'" The chairman of the 
assembly waved him aside politely. Worldly 
knowledge and its attendant egotism governed the 

146 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


situation. Paul walked slowly down the sixteen 
steps from the philosopher’s rostrum, and de¬ 
scended to the simple folk of the market place. 
His teachings about Jesus Christ and life everlast¬ 
ing had been amusing to men of education! He 
decided then and there never again to resort to 
winning the favor and attention of an audience by 
uttering literary episodes and quotations to please 
mortal thoughts. If he could not gain spontane¬ 
ous interest from listeners when he spoke the truth, 
he was determined not to arouse sympathetic heed 
otherwise. 

From all the mighty council of Athens, but one 
man, Dionysius, of culture and position, followed 
Paul’s teaching. Later the woman, Damaris, 
became a believer also. 

The experience of ridicule, indifference, and scorn 
helped to usher him from the city at an early date. 
The polished, arrogant scholars and their tactics 
were too self-satisfied. 

He departed from Athens without being driven 
out as in other cities. He left messages for Silas 
and Timothy to be delivered upon their arrival 
there, and then took up his lonely journey towards 
Corinth, forty miles away. 

When he arrived in the rich city of Corinth he 

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THE LIFE OF 


soon found a dwelling-place among his own people, 
for a rabbi was always welcome among them. He 
met the men there to whom he addressed important 
later epistles. 

Aquila and his wife, Priscilla, Christians from the 
Jewish followers of Rome, met him there. They 
also were tent-makers and invited him to sojourn 
with them. Happy conferences convened in their 
tiny house, as they all combined their efforts in 
weaving, spinning, and teaching. 

Paul mingled with other merchants and sold his 
wares in the market place, where he frequently 
saw crowds of boisterous, drunken sailors loitering. 

Corinth was dedicated to idolatry. Revels of 
debauchery were held in the temple of Venus, and 
a thousand slave women were compelled to take 
part in them. Corinthians would not accept 
Paul's teaching generally, but asked numerous 
questions through morbid curiosity. Silas and 
Timothy arrived with a message of love from Paul's 
followers, which deeply touched his heart. 

He learned that the congregations were prosper¬ 
ing, and that they longed to see him again. Jason 
and his associates had risen to the heights of 
demonstration during harsh treatment in Thes- 
salonica, and news of their conduct had spread to 

148 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


provinces of Achaia and Macedonia, where Chris¬ 
tians regarded them as upright examples. Silas 
and Timothy regretted to confide in Paul about the 
greed and lust which tempted many of their church 
members. Then there were others who believed 
that the coming of Jesus would be at such an early 
date that they refused to work, and just sat wait¬ 
ing. Paul realized that these errors must be erased 
with facts of right instruction and guidance. 

With the coming of Silas and Timothy, he turned 
to preaching in the synagogue one day with re¬ 
newed vigor and strength. The divine truths he 
uttered sparkled with spontaneity. He held his 
audience for a time, then they became hard¬ 
hearted and insolent. They called him names, and 
denounced the name of Jesus Christ. This seemed 
to be a test he could not endure without remon¬ 
strance. He could not hear his beloved Master's 
name ridiculed and maligned without resentment. 
He became angered and seized his grey tunic with 
both hands and shook it at them as if shaking the 
dust of their presence from him. He said, ""Your 
blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from 
henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles." His 
countrymen murmured with loud, angry tones as 
he left the temple with Justus Crispus, chief syna- 

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THE LIFE OF 

gogue ruler, and several other followers accom¬ 
panied him. 

‘"Know you that you are each a temple of God, 
and that the spirit of God dwells within you; if 
any man should destroy the temple of God, him 
will God destroy, for the temple of God which you 
are, is holy. The wisdom of this world is foolish¬ 
ness with God."' 



150 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


CHAPTER IX 
SANDALS OF SERVICE 

Paul's preaching was the exemplification of 
his daily life. Ill treatment from his own Jewish 
people, and the sight of the many gods about him 
caused a sad heaviness at times. One night as 
he rested on his couch he dreamed that Jesus 
talked with him, and he heard His words dis¬ 
tinctly: "'Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not 
thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall 
set upon thee to hurt thee; for I have many people 
in this city." And he understood it to be a direct 
message. For a year and a half he remained in 
Corinth preaching the gospel to Jews and for¬ 
eigners alike. 

Unfortunately, the Christians' meeting-place 
was next-door to the Jewish synagogue; conse¬ 
quently the Jews thought the Christian services 
were especially designed to detract from the syna¬ 
gogue ceremonies. So they tried to have Paul 
and his followers removed. ''Many of the Co¬ 
rinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized," 

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THE LIFE OF 


but it was principally the poorer element of the 
city who sought Christian teaching. 

As Paul and his followers sat partaking of a 
simple meal together, he urged them all to be of 
one family and to love one another. ^^Fly from 
the worship of idols. The cup of wine over which 
we ask the blessing of God, is it not a communion 
of the blood of Jesus? And the bread which we 
break, is it not a communion of the divine body; 
seeing that the Christians, who are many, are as 
one bread and one body; for we all eat of the one 
loaf!'' What a humble picture is presented, in 
Biblical narrative, of that communion of love, 
that true feast of simplicity! 

Paul with Silas and Timothy spent a long winter 
in the home of Aquila, the weaver. He wrote his 
letter to the Thessalonians which is recorded as 
the oldest part of the New Testament. "'Ye are 
all the children of light, and the children of the 
day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 
God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to ob¬ 
tain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." 

At this time only notes and references of the 
sayings of Jesus existed for teachers' use. As 
Paul sent out the first letter to the Thessalonians, 
it was read and copied by Christians in all prov- 

152 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


inces, and later became an important contribu¬ 
tion to the New Testament. Rabbis frequently 
wrote to distant congregations, so the idea was 
not original with Paul. Many of PauFs writings 
were clothed in wondrous expression, and they 
were not always understood by simple followers, 
according to words written by the fisherman- 
apostle Peter who said: ''Our brother Paul, 
according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 
as also in all letters, speaking in them of matters 
in which there are some things hard to under¬ 
stand, which the ignorant and unsteady wrest 
unto their own destruction.’^ 

Paul endeavored to deal in generalities in his 
writings, although there were specific cases which 
required clear, individual correcting. 

Timothy wrote as Paul dictated in the evenings 
by the lamplight in their small room. A scroll 
of papyrus, liquid soot, and a reed pen took the 
famous words down in Greek lettering. Paul 
was analytical in his thinking. If his early train¬ 
ing did nothing more for him, it developed a great 
human power to think and to reason diplomatically. 
He signed, sealed, and wrapped his letters carefully 
within a roll of water-proof haircloth which he had 
made, that they might withstand a stormy journey. 

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Isthmian games, held on the Isthmus of Corinth, 
were enjoyed every two years. These Corin¬ 
thian festivities ranked next to the great Olympic 
games of Athens. People flocked from all direc¬ 
tions to see the games. Ships from foreign lands 
dotted near-by seaports. They were laden with 
fine race-horses from Syria; bears, wolves, and 
dogs from Asia; tigers and lions from Africa. The 
ownership of these vessels was indicated by the 
decorations of imposing crests and golden wings. 
Many instruments were played on this jovial 
occasion; tambourines, pipes, and small harps 
twanged along the streets. Dancing-girls with 
tinkling bells on their ankles, and clicking casta¬ 
nets in their hands added their notes to the cele¬ 
bration. 

White-robed priests rattled gongs calling carnal 
followers up to the temple revelries, which touched 
the depths of iniquity. 

The prizes for the athletic tournaments were 
head-wreaths cut from the wood of Neptune's 
temple with a knife of gold. These wreaths were 
apparently of little consequence, but the lads who 
won them had monuments erected in their honor 
by the city and state to which they belonged. 
Strength, grace, and agility were regarded as the 

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PAUL OF TARSUS 


greatest of earthly possessions in those days. 
Thirty thousand men watched the running-races 
of the Isthmian games. None but pure Greeks 
could enter. On one day wrestling was featured 
as the attraction, and the naked, oiled bodies of 
men leaping and grappling in scientific contest 
held the pleasure-seekers spellbound. 

There were agility tests in which men leaped be¬ 
fore wild tigers, to the bestial cries of the crowd 
who urged the primitive play. Another event 
included chariot races, with their clamoring sounds 
of hoofs, whirling whips, and grinding, locking 
wheels, in a shower of driving sand from the course, 
to the refrain of frenzied, barbaric cries. This 
tournament season was of vast importance, and 
the coins issued then bore the significant word, 
^‘Isthmia,^’ which was surrounded by the design 
of a wreath of leaves tied by a ribbon. 

Paul pondered on these festivities of the people 
and the fading wreaths of honor. It was the prize 
of spiritual effort alone which he considered wor¬ 
thy of attainment — the prize of the high calling 
in Christ Jesus. He remembered his childhood 
games of fifty years before, in Tarsus, where the 
sports held an important place in community 
activities. 


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Again he dictated Thessalonian epistles to young 
Timothy, describing the conditions of the day, 
with such accuracy as to give his letters per¬ 
manent historic value. . 

Gallio, a gentle-minded man, became governor 
about this time. He was a brother of the states¬ 
man, Seneca, of Latin book fame. While he sat 
placidly in his white ivory chair in the open court 
of black and white tiles, a great noise arose in the 
streets and a throng surged closer and closer with 
cries for judgment. They were dragging and 
cuffing Paul along roughly, and brought him into 
the presence of Gallio, who tried to understand the 
situation. He finally learned that the charge 
against Paul was that he left the synagogue of 
the Jews, and preached in a meeting-house next 
door. Sosthenes, the accuser, said, '^This man 
is persuading men to worship God contrary to the 
law.'' 

Gallio could not be influenced into thinking that 
they cared so much about the Roman law, so he 
decided that Paul was not guilty, and he told the 
Jews emphatically, '"Settle your disputes among 
yourselves." Roman guards forced the persistent 
Jews into the streets. Paul's words may have 
been familiar to Gallio before this date, for he 

156 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


admired his humility and gentleness. Paul felt 
confident of the fairness of a Roman judge. 

Among the converts of Corinth were Crispus, 
chief of the synagogue; Erastus, treasurer of 
the city, and Zenas, a Jewish lawyer. Paul 
preached assurance that the power of God triumphs 
over all learning, although it seemed a con¬ 
tradiction to their former teachings. He said. 

Brethren, when I came to you, I came not with 
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto 
you the testimony of God. For I determined 
not to know anything among you, save Jesus 
Christ, and Him crucified. And my speech and 
preaching was not with enticing words of man’s 
wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and 
of power that your faith should not stand in the 
wisdom of men, but in the power of God. The 
spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of 
God. We have the mind of Christ.” 

Eighteen months passed speedily at Corinth, 
for his works there were fruitful. He bade his 
friends farewell and departed, leaving to them a 
church of firm foundation to testify to immortal 
truths. Silas and Timothy did not accompany 
him to Ephesus, but Aquila and his wife traveled 
with him. Timothy returned to Lystra, his for- 

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mer home, which he had not seen for three 
years. 

When Paul and his companions arrived at Ephe¬ 
sus, they sought the city temple with its sign of 
vine and grapes over the door. The men of the 
synagogue offered many queries about this strange 
new faith which Paul preached. He decided to 
continue on to Jerusalem for the Passover season, 
while Aquila and his steadfast wife remained and 
took up their abode at Ephesus. 

The trip for Ephesian pilgrims was favored by 
the touch of a neutral wind as they sailed out on 
their six-hundred-mile trip. On the last lap of 
the voyage they took up their various burdens 
and tramped over the green hills of Samaria. 
Again the wondrous melodies of sacred psalms 
rose from the prayerful throats of the pilgrims. 
Palm-leaves waved. Paul now stooped as he 
walked in silence, and there was a song of victory 
in his heart which laid the ceremony of creeds 
in the grave of his memory. 

In humility and in sincerity his course followed 
closely the footprints of the Master along the path 
of martyrdom. At this time of important progress, 
James, who had formerly wavered somewhat in 
the circumcision controversy, definitely allied 

158 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


himself with Paul, Peter, Silas, and Barnabas, 
stating publicly that the circumcision ceremony 
of the Jewish rabbis was unnecessary. James’s 
allegiance carried much weight with the people. 

Practical Christianity, not obedience to false 
laws, became more and more apparent to the 
awakening consciousness of that day. Slanderers 
declared that Paul was of a very common appear¬ 
ance, that he had no talent for public speaking, 
and should not be encouraged along those lines 
by listeners. He set the confused thoughts at 
rest about persecution and personal versions. 

The Pharisees who attacked Paul and his char¬ 
acter were striving to relegate the thought of 
Jesus entirely out of their worship. They up¬ 
held Jewish laws and ceremonies. Paul knew 
that the future of Christianity depended upon 
man’s acceptance and daily practice of its teach¬ 
ings. Judaism would not triumph over Chris¬ 
tianity if he could help it. He established Chris¬ 
tian churches by divine inspiration and inde¬ 
fatigable work. Brotherly love and church unity 
were expressed by Paul in his letter to the Gala¬ 
tians. 'Taul, an apostle (not of men, neither by 
man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, 
who raised him from the dead) and all the brethren 

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which are with me at Antioch, join in wishing the 
grace and peace of God to be upon all the Christians 
of Galatia/^ 

"'Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the 
lust of the flesh. The fruit of the Spirit is love, 
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, 
faith, meekness, temperance: against such there 
is no law.’' 

^'If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the 
Spirit. Let us not be weary in well doing; for 
in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Ye 
are all one in Christ Jesus.” 

‘'I certify you brethren, that the gospel which 
was preached of me is not after man, neither was 
I taught it, but by revelation of Jesus Christ. 
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father 
and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.” 

As Paul departed with Timothy from Antioch, 
the church members there gathered around them 
in loving farewell. The Antioch church was one 
of wealth. Members supplied the best beasts 
of burden for Paul and Timothy, and graciously 
accompanied them far into the outskirts of the 
city, giving them gifts of fruits, dried com, wine, 
oil, and a replenished wardrobe. Paul left beloved 
brethren in Antioch that he would never visit again. 

160 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


A week later they rode into Tarsus to rest. 
PauFs hair, so like a raven's wing in his youth, 
was now grey like his piercing eyes and the cloth 
of his tunic. Old Tarsus friends rallied around 
him—playmates of childhood that were now bent 
with mature burdens! He paused at the women's 
screen in the synagogue where his adoring mother 
had clasped his hand so tightly as she whispered 
words of tenderness to him. Family ties were 
strong and unchanging with the Jews. As Paul 
gazed at the quaint Tarsus synagogue he realized 
that'' if our earthly house of this tabernacle were 
dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not 
made with hands, eternal in the heavens." And 
the words of Jesus came to mind: No man, hav¬ 
ing put his hand to the plough, and looking back, 
is fit for the kingdom of God." 

A last farewell was spoken at Tarsus, the city 
of his proud birth, and Paul departed, never to 
return. He paused at familiar spots by the water¬ 
side, and on the crest of the hill. He did not 
know then that he would never again see the city 
he called home. 

Returning to Derbe, he greeted all his old friends 
and told them of his great astonishment that they 
should ''so quickly turn from what he had taught 

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in the name of Jesus, turning to a thing which is 
not a gospel. The God who made Peter the 
apostle of Jews, who believed in circumcision, 
made me also the apostle of foreigners.^' 

After a short sojourn at Derbe, Paul and 
Timothy then went to Lystra, the home city of 
Timothy. Paul repeated, to followers there, the 
words propounded while sailing in Peter's boat 
— warning against the leaven of the Pharisees 
whose evil words, if they were heeded, would 
bring error of thinking to all of them. 

He then rode on to Iconium where he lovingly 
recalled with appreciation the tender care of friends 
five years before. He remembered the kindly 
attention Barnabas administered in his weariness 
and illness. He urged the people to be free from 
the entanglement of all false laws, and implored 
them not to assume such a yoke of slavery when 
enlightenment was at hand. 

Galatia was then visited briefly, and from there 
he traveled on towards Ephesus. It was summer 
time, and the woods were dangerous for unpro¬ 
tected travelers, because of robbers and wild ani¬ 
mals. There were shelters built along the way, 
to house travelers over night. They were crude 
structures, but Paul welcomed such a haven at 

162 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


the close of a long dusty day on the road. He 
rode through the massive Smyrna gate into the 
city of Ephesus. He made his way slowly through 
the streets to the Jews' section of the city. And 
in every Jewish settlement could be found a syna¬ 
gogue with its mark of grapes and vine carved 
over the door. 

The trip proved wearisome for Paul. His oak 
staff bent with his leaning form as he led the ass 
to a shed. His life mission seemed to press upon 
him more and more with the passing years. Hu¬ 
manity's need appeared appalling at times, and 
'^the laborers few." 

Aquila and Priscilla, the weavers, still resided 
in Ephesus, and Paul soon located them. He 
rejoiced in the news they imparted about Apollos 
of Alexandria, the town at the mouth of the Nile. 

Jerusalem Jews harbored a deep hatred for 
the Jews of Alexandria, because they had trans¬ 
lated the Bible from Hebrew into Greek, three 
hundred years before Jesus was born. They 
called it '^The Translation of the Seventy," be¬ 
cause seventy men had participated in its trans¬ 
lation. Paul read it as well as his own Hebrew 
version of the Bible, together with the Latin 
classics. 


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Paul learned that Aquila and Priscilla had 
taken the enthusiastic young Apollos into their 
home where he was privileged to hear Jesus’ teach¬ 
ings, as they attended to their necessary spinning 
and weaving. He sat on a mat on the floor near 
by. Apollos was receptive, and became a great 
dynamic power for the cause of Christianity. 
His handsome face and marked eloquence easily 
won many followers. He continued to baptize 
the people with the words of John the Baptist. 
Paul corrected this rite in Ephesus by applying 
the simple words of Christ Jesus himself and 
accentuating the idea of the Master’s appointed 
Sonship. The presence of the Holy Ghost was 
acknowledged when Paul’s baptism fell upon 
bowed heads. “In the name of the Father, the 
Son, and the Holy Ghost.” 

Again Paul sojourned with Aquila and Priscilla 
in their home near the harbor. At this time 
Ephesus worshipped many idols. The citizens 
were proud that their city was termed “the Tem¬ 
ple keeper,” for a Temple of Diana had stood 
there on one spot for over a thousand years. Four 
hundred years before, when Alexander the Great 
was bom, the temple was burned one night; and 
there, in its place, stood the wonderful new temple 

164 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


designed by Dinocrates, a Macedonian, and paid 
for with great quantities of gold and silver from 
men of Asia. It also represented rich jewels from 
many ladies of the country. Near by there was 
a gold statue of Artemidorus, who went to Rome 
to plead for the wonderful temple. 

As Paul preached at Ephesus, many listeners 
left his gathering and joined the students of Ty- 
rannus, a teacher of a heathen philosophy ^'hav¬ 
ing the understanding darkened, being alienated 
from the life of God through the ignorance that is 
in them, because of the blindness of their heart.'" 

Spring unfolded in all its warmth and beauty, 
and Paul began his journey to various cities to 
preach. He visited Smyrna, Laodicea, Colosse, 
Hierapolis, Sardis, Philadelphia, Pergamos, and 
Thyatira. ''And God wrought special miracles 
by the hands of Paul." 


166 


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CHAPTER X 

GLORY STRUGGLES THROUGH THE FOG 

Paul communicated with Apollos and com¬ 
mended him for his splendid, steadfast work at 
Corinth. But it was evident that the Corinthians 
insisted upon keeping their idols, and the way be¬ 
came a difficult one there for Apollos. 

Titus was teaching at Crete and Paul advised 
him to beware of foolish talkers who teach Jewish 
tales and traditions for money. In PauFs writing, 
Titus was referred to as a "‘true child in their com¬ 
mon Christianity.^' 

It was necessary for Paul to make a hurried 
call to the Corinthians because of the unfaith¬ 
fulness of some of his followers. He met Apollos, 
and expressed his appreciation to him for his 
strength and fidelity. 

Then he returned to Ephesus, where supersti¬ 
tion was growing apace despite all opportunities 
for Christian enlightenment. A common custom 
was the wearing of a small parchment piece bear¬ 
ing inane words. Fortune-tellers began to pre¬ 
dict anything they chose for gullible victims. The 

166 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


people regarded Paul with a certain reverent awe, 
for God worked special powers of deliverance 
through him. His healings increased as he be¬ 
came a clearer transparency for the Christ light 
of love. He now vmderstood more definitely 
the application of divine law. Superstitious folk 
touched his garment, believing it possessed strange 
power of healing and relief. All this was unknown 
to the apostle, who termed ignorant practices 
“foolishness with God.” 

Upon several occasions there were riots in the 
meetings, and Paul was obliged to use physical 
force to preserve order. Aquila saved his life 
from a brutal encounter of unknown nature, and 
this aid placed a seal of loyalty on his friendship 
which is of Biblical importance. 

From Corinth to Paul in Ephesus Apollos 
brought reports of Christian activities. It grieved 
Paul that the Corinthians would not endeavor 
to lead the lives of true Christians. Apollos re¬ 
quested that some one else be sent to work at 
Corinth in his place, so Paul appointed his young 
friend Timothy and Erastus of Ephesus, to work 
there. 

Chloe, a faithful worker, sent slaves with mes¬ 
sages about the discord in Corinth. Stories which 

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came from Fortunatus and Achaicus were dis¬ 
quieting. 

Paul realized that the situation was a serious 
one, and that he must get word to the Corinthians 
at once. Timothy planned to travel by way of 
Macedonia, which meant that it would be many 
days before his arrival in Corinth; so Paul wrote 
to the Corinthians at length. He dictated this 
epistle and Titus took it down. It proved to be 
a masterpiece of instruction for all peoples and 
ages. 

Divisions and disputes caused much annoyance 
in church work. Paul knew organization to be 
necessary, but he realized the struggle it meant 
to maintain harmony at all times. Paul notified 
the Corinthians that Timothy would come to them 
to continue his work in their midst. '^For this 
cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my 
beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall 
bring you into remembrance of my ways which be 
in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church. 
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in 
power. What will ye? Shall I come unto you 
with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meek¬ 
ness?’' 

At times he was overwhelmed with num- 

168 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


erous questions. Many asked about marriage, 
whether they should permit their daughters to 
marry; or if a man were a Christian and his wife 
refused to worship as he did, would he be justified 
in sending her away? He was asked by women 
how to dress, the colors to blend, and the most 
appropriate manner in which to wear the hair, also 
if they should assert equal rights in the temple. 
This was a laborious task for Paul, but he tried to 
give every one a satisfactory answer and manifest 
patient tolerance. 

A message to all church organizations on earth 
was written by Paul which reads: Watch ye, 
stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 
Let everything be done in Love.’' The last great 
words, ''Let everything be done in Love,” express 
the basic principle which will ultimately erase 
the world’s warfare of every nature. 

While idols flourished in Ephesus, Paul’s in¬ 
fluence for good spread to distant lands. Enemies 
arose among their people and tried to frighten 
Paul into silent submission. But he remained 
fearless "under the shadow of the Almighty.” 

In the market place in Ephesus, there were 
many shrines and charms sold. When many 
turned to the enlightened teaching of Paul, the 

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purchasers were not so numerous in the market. 
As people turned from false gods to the One God, 
they ceased to have any desire for the worthless 
idols manufactured and sold by their tradesmen. 
This infuriated the merchants, and they began to 
oppose the apostle in every possible way. 

They decided to drive him out of the city. 
Demetrius, a rich merchant, called together pot¬ 
ters, silversmiths, metal-workers, jewellers, carvers 
of metal and wood, butchers, and all other trades¬ 
men who profited by the pagan worship of temple 
gods. He denounced Paul before assembled thou¬ 
sands saying: ^^Sirs, you know that by our busi¬ 
ness we have made our wealth, and you all see 
and hear that not only in Ephesus, but throughout 
the entire province of Asia, this Paul has per¬ 
suaded people to turn away from buying shrines, 
declaring to them that things made with men's 
hands are not gods at all." Demetrius strength¬ 
ened his plea by speaking of the threatening dan¬ 
ger to their goddess, Diana. The people were then 
moved to emotional wrath. He gained their 
sympathy and cooperation through their own love 
of money, and the suggestion of their possible 
loss of it. Cleverly he pictured the market places 
after much more of Paul's teaching, as spots of 

170 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


utter desolation. Shouts arose for Diana. It 
was decided to assemble all the citizens they could 
arouse into the vast theatre, and there make 
public charges against Paul. 

Demetrius succeeded in stirring up the people, 
and the crowds continued to grow in size. Streams 
of raging citizens poured into the open-air theatre. 
Paul was not found at the time of the search, but 
the mob dragged Gaius and Aristarchus along 
brutally. Demetrius selected Alexander, the Jew, 
to speak to the throng about the matter, because 
he had a very loud voice. When they discovered 
that the speaker was a Jew, the people cried 
wildly, ''Diana! Great is DianaT' Curiosity 
inflamed the spectators, although many of them 
did not know what it was all about. 

The town clerk and keeper of the city records 
arrived on the scene, and it was evident then that 
they were assembled for business. He began 
with tact: "Men of Ephesus, is there a man 
here who does not know that this city is the keeper 
of the great temple of Diana, and of the image 
that fell down from the stars? Thus you have 
brought forth these two men (Paul's friends) who 
are neither robbers of the temples nor speakers 
against Diana. If Demetrius or any of those 

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who are with him have a case against any man, 
the city courts are open and weekly courts ob¬ 
served, and there are judges for the purpose of 
deciding who is right. Let them accuse these 
men before them in the proper manner.” This 
angered Demetrius. The town clerk authori¬ 
tatively assured the people assembled that the 
gathering was without reason, and would prove 
so in the eyes of the governor. Another victory 
for the Christians! Their banner in Ephesus 
was not to be uprooted or cast aside I The inci¬ 
dent impressed Paul, but he felt that his enemies 
there would persist in trying to take his life, so he 
prepared to leave Ephesus. His three years’ 
work in that district was successful, as it had been 
in Corinth. When he departed, hundreds of his 
loving followers stood upon the bank and watched 
the boat glide into the distance. Both men and 
women shed tears at his going. It was a touching 
scene of allegiance. 

Far out at sea again! How like his own life 
was the turbulent sea: tossed to and fro by the 
wind of circumstance, driven by the great un¬ 
seen force, restless, but never without the poise 
of purpose, agitated but ever knowing an inner 
repose! 


172 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Paul prayed earnestly for his friends Aquila 
and Priscilla, who suffered for their cause, and 
were forced to leave Ephesus. Their home had 
been his own; they shared the joys and hard¬ 
ships of discipleship together. So his concern 
for their welfare was a deep one of true friendship. 

When Paul reached Troy, he was disappointed 
that Titus was not there as he expected. The 
first letter to young Timothy, full of instruction 
regarding congregations and concise teaching, 
was written about this time in his travels. Dur¬ 
ing this year of his life, he began to look to others 
who could continue his earthly mission after he 
had passed on. His letters reveal these thoughts. 
Timothy was admonished to correct wrong teach¬ 
ing and instruct in wisdom. 

"'This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, 
according to the prophecies which went on before 
thee, that thou by them mightest war a good 
warfare; holding faith, and a good conscience, 
which some, having put away concerning faith, 
have made shipwreck. There is one God, and 
one mediator between God and men, the man 
Christ Jesus.'^ 

" God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but 
of power and of love, and of a sound mind. Preach 

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the word; be instant in season, out of season; 
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and 
doctrine. The time of my departure is at hand. 
I have fought a good fight. I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there 
is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which 
the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at 
that day; and not to me only, but unto all them 
also that love his appearing. 

^'Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee 
understanding in all things. The Lord knoweth 
them that are his.’' 

He suffered the disaster of a shipwreck, and in 
the bitter cold, fioated upon a piece of wreckage 
for a night and a day before he was finally rescued 
by a passing ship. At last he reached Philippi, 
drenched with the rains. Lydia welcomed him 
into her home again and nursed him back to 
strength and courage. His addresses to the people 
of Troy included references to the experiences 
which he and his coworkers endured. These tests 
brought them all into a closer human bond of 
sympathetic unity. 

Titus then joined Paul and told him of false 
teachers who influenced many to follow their 
doctrines. Men who boasted of personal leader- 

174 




PAUL OF TARSUS 


ship attempted to overthrow the good work that 
had been established. But there were ever-lov¬ 
ing messages from devoted friends and associates 
throughout the field, and Paul was thankful for 
these expressions. 

At Corinth his persecutors — ''wolves in sheep's 
clothing" —repeated their attacks upon his char¬ 
acter. They ridiculed his appearance, and "un¬ 
worthy delivery of the scriptures." They accused 
him of posing as an apostle when he had no right 
whatever to that title. Then again they insisted 
that he was a Greek Jew and not a Jew of Jeru¬ 
salem as they were; therefore he had no authority 
to teach! They objected to his collecting money 
everywhere for the poor Christians in Jerusalem, 
money that really should go to the temple. 
Malice, jealousy, slander, and lies poured down 
upon the faithful head of the unselfish martyr. 

Trials seemed beyond human endurance some¬ 
times, and his heart ached from the bitter injustice. 
The Corinthians were divided and many returned 
to their false gods. Paul appealed to them: "My 
mouth is open to you, 0 Corinthians, my heart is 
enlarged towards you, my children; be enlarged 
towards me. Be not joined with idolaters for it 
is light joined to darkness. Examine yourselves, 

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whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. 
Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that 
we should appear approved, but that ye should 
do that which is honest, though we seem as repro¬ 
bates. For we can do nothing against the truth, 
but for the truth.'' 

The truth that this buffeted apostle of Christ 
frequently toiled all night at the loom rather than 
accept money from any one, did not prevent the 
serpent's continuous-attacks against his integrity. 
All amounts of money which were collected by 
him were contributions for suffering Christians 
in Jerusalem, who were undergoing direst hard¬ 
ships. He was sensitive on the subject of money, 
and many times hesitated to accept personal gifts 
from friends, for fear that they might misunder¬ 
stand the true motives of his heart. This was an 
unnecessary attitude, because all his followers well 
understood the purpose of his life and its daily 
sacrifices for the good of humanity. 

When he touched the vision of the realm of 
spirit in demonstration, he referred to the thorn 
in the flesh" which acted as a hindrance to com¬ 
plete freedom. He said: '' Most gladly therefore 
will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power 
of Christ may rest upon me. I take pleasure in 

; 176 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in perse¬ 
cutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake; for when 
I am weak, then am I strong. God’s grace is 
sufficient.” 

His imperfect eyesight caused him annoyance, 
as did the extreme fatigue which crippled him 
at times during his strenuous pilgrimages. But 
he resolved these experiences into opportunities 
to prove God’s allness, and rejoiced in the power 
which overcomes and heals. 

The bronze and gold coloring of autumn cov¬ 
ered the hills as Paul journeyed from Thessalonica 
to the quaint little town of Berea, where he spoke 
to the growing congregation there. He bade them 
a last farewell, for he would never return. He 
encouraged and strengthened them, and left stimu¬ 
lating lessons to help them carry on. 

He returned to Corinth to the home of his friend. 
Gains, where Christians greeted him to hear 
more of his teachings. He poured out his heart 
to his people in tenderest expressions of love. 
The suggestions of false teaching and lies were 
erased. Paul inherited his father’s estate, and 
about this time was paid the sum of its sale value. 
This gave him ample funds for the continuation 
of his Christian work, and it was not necessary 

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for him to labor so hard at the looms in the night¬ 
time, as in former years. 

The words of Jesus urged him on and on: ''Go 
into all the world, preach the gospel, heal the sick.'' 
The two commands in one became every Chris¬ 
tian's duty! Jesus combined preaching and heal¬ 
ing to be the rock (petros) foundation of the Chris¬ 
tian churches. 

His thoughts turned toward Rome and his 
friends Aquila and Priscilla who were established 
there. He was impelled to write a letter to the 
Romans whom he had never seen. This was the 
most learned of his letters, showing an advanced 
interpretative thought, and his profound early 
training of the Bible (Old Testament). Fore¬ 
thought and careful concentration are shown in 
this memorable epistle. Tertius, the most profi¬ 
cient of his numerous scribes, wrote this epistle 
for Paul, whom he served, with pride, as secretary. 

Some of his words as recorded have resounded 
in every church on the face of the earth. "The 
law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made 
me free from the law of sin and death. And we 
know that all things work together for good to 
them that love God, to them who are the called 
according to His purpose. Be ye transformed by 

178 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove 
what is the good, the acceptable, and perfect will 
of God. If God be for us, who can be against us? 
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? 
I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor 
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things 
present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, 
nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us 
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus 
our Lord. Love is the fulfilling of the law.'^ 

In this great letter of salutations and important 
lessons, Paul asked for their prayers for his own 
protection. Dark forebodings shadowed his glori¬ 
fied outlook and fear knocked at the door of his 
consciousness and whispered, '‘death.'’ 

The messenger of the great epistle was Phoebe 
of Cenchrea to whom Paul referred thus, "I com¬ 
mend unto you Phoebe, our sister, which is a ser¬ 
vant of the church which is at Cenchrea: that ye 
receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and 
that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath 
need of you; for she hath been a succourer of 
many, and of myself also." 

Although Paul had never visited the church in 
Rome, he was familiar with all their activities 
and addressed greetings to twenty-six men and 

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women by name. Among them were his friends 
the weavers, Aquila and Priscilla. Mary, a Jew¬ 
ish woman, was especially commended for her 
good and faithful work. It is believed by many 
that the greatest of Paul’s epistles were those 
written to the Romans. 

Paul planned to join a pilgrims’ trip to Jeru¬ 
salem, on a boat which stopped at many ports. 
He was commissioned to carry a vast sum of money 
with him for the urgent needs there. When this 
information reached the ears of his enemies among 
the Jews, they plotted to kill him on the trip. At 
the last moment as he was boarding the vessel, 
the plot was discovered by one of his coworkers; 
he was warned, and his life saved. Instead of 
sailing in a pilgrim boat to Palestine, he joined 
his workers Sopater, Aristarchus, and Secimdus 
of Macedonia; Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia; 
and Timothy and Gains of Galatia, to go to Philippi 
to hold the Passover there. 

The Passover festival was not observed accor¬ 
ding to the teachings of his youth, but as Jesus 
interpreted it — symbolical only of the substance 
of life and continuity of its spiritual being. 

They met in Lydia’s house during the Passover 
week at Philippi, city of fountains. From there 

180 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


the visiting Christians took a small coasting-boat 
to Troy. Luke accompanied them on the voyage. 
The weather was stormy, and the trip required 
five days of travel instead of the usual two days. 

Luke's friendship was stimulating to Paul, for 
he was a humanist of great culture. His careful 
delineation, as revealed in his writings, proved 
of historical and artistic value. Luke's book of 
the Acts is compelling, and gives to mankind real 
characters to know and love as human beings. 
He was a Greek scholar and historian who deserves 
eternal reverence, and, for the documents of Paul's 
life, universal gratitude is due his worthy name. 


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CHAPTER XI 
LIFE TO THE DEAD 

While their boat waited in Troy harbor for 
good weather, Paul joined the Christians of Troy. 
They seemed to confuse the interpretations of the 
Nazarene love feast with old pagan ceremonies 
they formerly participated in when attending the 
temples of the idols. This matter caused Paul 
perplexity, and he prayerfully tried to lead them 
into the right way of thinking. The meeting- 
place there was in a building three stories high. 
The large top room was used for services and was 
accessible, from the street, by an outside stairway 
of stone. On Sunday night Paul spoke there to his 
people. Hanging-lamps about the room furnished 
light; high above the heads were small, narrow 
windows — open for ventilating purposes. Paul 
spoke at length, for he may have realized they 
needed instruction, and also that he would never 
see them again. Words of living inspiration were 
uttered. It was almost midnight, and as he con¬ 
tinued to speak, a piercing cry rent the air; the 
room was in sudden confusion. A youth named 

182 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Eutychus had fallen asleep on the window ledge, 
overbalanced ^'and fell down from the third loft, 
and was taken up dead/^ Paul calmly descended 
the outside stairs, knelt down by the body, and 
stretched forth his arm over him prayerfully. 
He kissed the lad's cheeks lovingly, and, turning to 
the wailing ones about him, said simply,''Trouble 
not yourselves; for his life is in him." 

^^And they brought the young man alive, and 
were not a little comforted." Fear was dispelled 
instantly, and the lad breathed freely. Paul re¬ 
turned to the meeting. They broke bread in 
Jesus' name and ate it in loving commemoration, 
for it was their last meal together. All night the 
crowd listened intently to his teachings, and when 
dawn crept over the hills and pastel tints shone 
into the windows, dimming the yellow glow of 
smoking lamps, the meeting adjourned. 

While the morning dew still glistened on the hills, 
Paul set out to carry tidings to Assos, twenty miles 
away. There, with the devoted followers who 
waved good-bye, stood the lad who had fallen from 
the window. The power of God which restores life 
to the dead had touched his life, through Paul, and 
there was strange wonderment in his face. 

Paul stopped at Miletus, the ancient city famous 

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for its beautiful carpets, but he did not speak to 
the people there. In a spirit of quietness and 
seclusion he sought strength in prayer — alone, 
as the Master often did. In those moments of 
meditation Paul wrote words which were as tears 
of his heart. ''And now, behold, I know that ye 
all, among whom I have gone preaching the king¬ 
dom of God, shall see my face no more."’ His 
grey head bowed in holy surrender to the will of 
Grod. It was a glorified farewell which left its 
echo of sadness. 

Paul sailed out of the harbor of Miletus and along 
the coast of Asia. Numerous islands shone like 
emeralds mounted in a glittering setting of waves. 
Far in the distance he saw the island of Patmos, 
with its lonely barren caves where John the Divine, 
so beloved of the Father, was banished and wrote 
his book of visions, "to bear record of the word of 
God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all 
things that he saw.^' 

The ship with a broad, white sail and the single 
mast, landed at the port of Tyre in Phoenicia, just 
north of Palestine. Paul soon located his co¬ 
workers, and related to them his trials and travels 
during the seven years’ absence. Again he was 
warned that it would be perilous for him to re- 

184 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


turn to Jerusalem, because of the intense hatred 
and resentment there. His visit at Tyre was brief. 

All nature was effulgent with warmth and 
color, but within Paul's heart was the chill of 
winter. It seemed that he had reached the utmost 
in persecutions. 

The Christians at Tyre, like those of Ephesus, 
were deeply touched by his sorrowful words of 
farewell, and they wept bitterly. Women and 
children accompanied him through the city gates 
and knelt down on the shore as he sailed away, 
offering prayers for his protection and good health. 
This all moved him to deepest appreciation as he 
watched the kneeling figures on the shore until his 
boat moved as a speck into the haze of the distance. 

He stopped at Ptolemais and saluted the breth¬ 
ren, ‘‘and abode with them one day." At the 
harbor of Caesarea, Paul left the ship with students 
who showed him the way to the home of Philip, 
the evangelist. 

For twenty years Philip had dwelt there, teaching 
and preaching with the loving help of his wife and 
four lovely daughters. He listened intently to 
Paul's numerous stories of adventures. His own 
life had been one of quietness and regularity, and 
Paul brought a stimulating sense of action into 

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his household. The family sat spellbound as he told 
of the five times that he had been scourged by the 
Jews, three times beaten with Roman rods, once 
stoned, and three times shipwrecked, and how he 
had floated for one day and night in the open sea. 
Then followed toils, travels, thirst, and many 
heartaches. Truly a martyr's record; he had not 
yet quaffed the bitter cup of experience to its 
dregs of agony! He related, '^The city governor 
under King Aretas at Damascus guarded the gates 
in order to take me. I was lowered down through 
a window in the wall to escape." Philip and other 
teachers implored Paul not to proceed to Jeru¬ 
salem, because they were certain that harm awaited 
him there; but nothing could deter him from going 
on his mission. He cared nothing for the tortures 
inflicted upon him. If he could sacrifice himself 
for the cause of Jesus Christ, he would gladly do 
so I The still small voice within bade him go on. 
The sadness of his followers at this time seemed 
to overwhelm him. ‘^What mean ye to weep and 
break mine heart? For I am ready not to be 
bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the 
name of the Lord Jesus." And all of the men 
present realized that his decision was above the 
will of man. The bleeding footprints of Paul, the 

186 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


apostle, were designed to trace the eternal pages of 
the Book of Books. 

Jerusalem had become very unsafe. Not only 
because of indignant Jewish rabbis, but numerous 
Jewish Christians were clinging to traditional rites 
which war with spirit. A vicious new band of 
dagger men, known as the band of Zealots, had 
arisen since PauFs former visit. They accom¬ 
plished most of their destructive work in secrecy. 
In Jerusalem, Paul, with several friends, stopped 
with Mnason in his palatial home. In the shadow 
of the trees of the courtyard where pure white 
doves fluttered, the Christians breakfasted in quiet 
seclusion. 

James presided at the meeting-place, with the 
other elders about him. His long hair was as 
white as the snows and it curled about his sturdy 
shoulders in Nazarite fashion. Paul narrated, with 
impressing simplicity, the experiences he had en¬ 
dured for the cause of Christianity. 

The freedom of Paul's thinking was not entirely 
comprehended by James and his workers, for they 
stirred about strangely when he explained that 
''God is no respecter of persons," and that Jew 
and Gentile alike may dwell in the peace of His 
spiritual temple. 


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While they had gained broad perspective in 
spiritual growth, through experiences and the 
world's activities, the Jerusalem Christians seemed 
to have remained stilted and narrow in their 
preaching and application of practical Christian 
rules. They still countenanced cruelty and con¬ 
demnation, which Paul knew to be far from the 
Christ truth. 

He learned that the Zealots included some of 
their own Christian converts, and even at that mo¬ 
ment he was marked by spies for their vengeance. 
The Corinthian pilgrim ship spread venom on its 
arrival, and Paul was publicly accused of in¬ 
fluencing people to forsake the laws of Moses. 
This was an untruth, for he taught only a spiritual 
interpretation of those laws, that they might all 
enjoy freedom from their ills and woes. They 
could not see that he worked for their good, that 
their own enslaved minds might be free. 

He knew well what it would mean to be accused 
there of teaching against the laws of Moses. 
James suggested to him that he take four of the 
poorest Jews who had become Nazarenes, and go 
with them into the temple and accept the purifica¬ 
tion as the law demanded. He told him to pay 
their expenses and make offerings to the priests, 

188 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


that the Zealots might believe that the accusations 
against him were false. James thought this pro¬ 
cedure would assure his safety. 

Paul considered carefully the idea of taking the 
four men in tatters and rags to the temple, paying 
for four rams, eight lambs, cakes, and oil for sac¬ 
rifices, besides making gifts of money to the priests, 
and standing by the Jews while they had their long 
hair cut off and burned. Did not one know the 
teachings of Jesus, and their departure from all the 
ceremony of temple worship ? He then knew that 
he could not blame their ignorance, for they were 
unenlightened, and the fact seemed revolting to 
him. He was told that it would help the four 
ragged men. 

In the hopeless hour of indecision, he realized 
that it was too soon for men of Jerusalem to relin¬ 
quish the rites they reverenced. The week to be 
spent in the temple suggested a waste of time. 
Paul thought of all the purposeful, useful things he 
could accomplish in that week, and it was all 
repellent to him. They could not understand 
true worship, and their ignorance was too cruel to 
countenance. James’s plan was the only logical one 
for Paul’s protection. For days it was necessary 
for him to go to the temple for the formulated 

189 


THE LIFE OF 


process of purification, and instead of protecting 
him, it aroused hostility on every side. After 
Paul's naked feet had trod the hot pavements for 
four or five days, he passed through the entrance 
of the white marble balustrade, unsuspicious of 
any surrounding turmoil. His enemies from Cor¬ 
inth and the Zealots of Jerusalem declared openly 
that Paul did not care for the laws of Moses, that 
his purification ceremonies were all a farce, for he 
did not sincerely believe in them. They gathered 
around him, like closing stone walls, with mad cries 
of ''Men of Israel, Help! Help! Help!" 

"And all the city was moved, and the people 
ran together" from every direction. Paul was 
soon in the midst of a vast pressing throng. They 
cried, "This is the man who speaks every place to 
all men, against the Jews and against our laws and 
the temple." Rage seized the crowd, and shrieks 
pierced the air. "He brought Greeks into the 
temple and polluted this holy place." Cries of 
"Blasphemy!" and "Defiler!" rang from court to 
court; loud charges resounded through the arches. 
Paul resisted, declaring that he was innocent. 
Many hands laid hold of him, and dragged him 
from the temple pavements, that none of his un¬ 
worthy blood might be shed upon their sacred 

190 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


tiles. They cuffed him out through the gates, 
murmuring curses upon his head and fiendish cries 
of Death to him! Death to him 

The Jews did not wish to kill him there with a 
sword, for it was their custom to punish by hang¬ 
ing, stoning, or beating with clubs. His persecu¬ 
tors kicked him along while the mob surged back 
of them. 

Then one of the mob cried: "What of the pen¬ 
alty of killing a man without trial ? What would 
Lysias, the Roman captain, say to this?'" They 
could not take Roman rule into their own hands. 
High above from distant walls, motionless forms of 
Roman soldiers stood. They saw the uprising 
against Paul. There was a dark passage leading 
into the Jewish courts, which the Roman soldiers 
held and used during uprisings and riots. 

Roman soldiers with uplifted spears dashed 
towards the mob. The cruel blows which fell 
upon PauFs harassed body were stopped, and the 
mob dispersed in fear of arrest and abuse. 

The soldiers cleared a space around Paul by 
pushing people aside with their pikes, and striking 
them on the head with the shafts. Lysias, the 
chief captain, approached him and laid his hand 
upon his shoulder — a sign that no other hand 

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must touch him. Roman handcuffs were clamped 
upon Paul's wrists and fastened with brass chains 
to the wrists of two soldiers. Lysias inquired his 
name and charges of offence. He could not under¬ 
stand the maudlin answers of the motley crowd, and 
believed Paul to be the Egyptian rioter who had 
previously pretended to be the Messiah. The mob 
followed the soldiers, jeering and yelling, much to 
the annoyance of Lysias who loathed their babbling. 

Paul was dazed from the blows and fell uncon¬ 
scious into the arms of the soldiers who walked with 
him. They carried him the remainder of the way 
and refreshed his worn, stained face with cold 
water. Paul revived and spoke to Lysias in Greek, 
much to the soldier's surprise. '' Canst thou speak 
Greek?" Lysias inquired and Paul replied, am 
a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no 
mean city." Lysias then explained that he had 
mistaken the prisoner for the Egyptian. Paul said, 
'*1 beg of thee, suffer me to speak unto the people." 

He presented a pathetic figure standing high 
upon the stairs with Roman soldiers framing his 
disheveled, bruised form. His torn brown cloak 
hung in shreds over his body; his bare feet were 
bloodstained and covered with the dirt of bar¬ 
barism. With his face streaked and stained and 

192 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


tears shining in his eyes, he obtained permission 
from Lysias to speak a moment. Hundreds of perse¬ 
cutors stood banked below, looking up and listening. 

''And when there was made a great silence, he 
spake unto them in Hebrew, saying, 'Men, breth¬ 
ren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make 
now unto you.’ And when they heard that he 
spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept 
the more silence.” 

I am verily a man which am a Jew born in 
Tarsus, a city of Cilicia.” Then he told simply the 
story of his life training and his supreme awaken¬ 
ing to Jesus’ teachings. They listened calmly be¬ 
cause they liked to hear about visions and voices 
of God. When he told the people that he had re¬ 
ceived the sacred command of Jesus: "Go, for 
I will send you out to foreign nations,” contemptu¬ 
ous shrieks arose from the crowd. They ex¬ 
claimed, "Away with such a fellow from the earth. 
Away with him!” The sound of Jesus’ name 
enraged them. Some of the men threw down their 
cloaks in the dust, contemplating Paul’s destruc¬ 
tion without further ceremony. Others threw dirt 
up from the dusty ground, which showered back 
into their mean faces, forming hateful grit in their 
open mouths. 


193 


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CHAPTER XII 

A PRISONER OF GOD 

Lysias led Paul through the prison door. The 
net had caught another martyr within its meshes. 

The Zealots spread the news that Paul, the Phari¬ 
see of Tarsus, was held a prisoner in the castle. 
They decided to stab him if he gained release. 

All that Paul uttered in Hebrew was not under¬ 
stood by Lysias, who regarded these sort of en¬ 
counters as exceedingly distasteful. Soldiers 
were ordered to prepare Paul for flogging and to 
demand a confession from him. 

They tied him hand and foot to a post with 
leather thongs. He had been flogged in the same 
way at Philippi and he knew how it felt to be 
struck on the naked back with knotted cords. 
When an officer approached Paul he protested in 
defence, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who 
is a Roman citizen and who has not been con¬ 
demned?'^ The question alarmed the soldiers 
and they hurriedly divulged their mistake to 
Lysias, who ordered the thong to be loosened at 
once. 

194 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Paul explained to Lysias, “I am a Roman citi¬ 
zen by birth, as my father was before me,” and 
they realized that this citizen could not lawfully 
be scourged for all the Jews in Jerusalem. 

Lysias knew that the trouble was the result of a 
religious upheaval of some sort, so he decided to 
call upon the Jewish Sanhedrin for advice about 
the whole matter. 

On the next day Paul stood before the Sanhedrin 
council where Stephen once stood. He now under¬ 
stood what had illuminated Stephen’s countenance, 
and was willing to sacrifice all for the privilege of 
drinking from Jesus’ cup. 

As he faced all those men who knew his history 
so intimately, he felt their critical scrutiny and 
curious interest. They all respected him as a man 
of learning and alert mental cleverness, but his 
departure from the religion of his fathers was 
unpardonable. Although like a pursued animal 
that is cornered, he wore a calm expression in his 
grey eyes — one of fearless defiance and deter¬ 
mination. 

And Paul, earnestly beholding the covmcil, said, 
“ Men and brethren, I have lived in all good con¬ 
science before God until this day.” The shrill 
voice of Ananias piped out, “ Guard, smite him on 

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the mouthBut the guard took his orders from 
Lysias, and remained silent. Paul was a Roman 
citizen — and not a slave! There seemed to be a 
sleeping lion aroused within Pauks consciousness at 
the moment, for he replied angrily, ‘^God shall 
smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to 
judge me after the law, and commandest me to be 
smitten contrary to the law?’" 

"'Would you revile God’s high priest?” shrieked 
Ananias. Paul realized the error of his anger and 
offered a humble apology. (Several years later 
Ananias was stabbed to death in one of the city’s 
drains, while hiding from the dagger-men.) 

A heated discussion followed Paul’s speech, and 
confusion arose between the Pharisees and Sad- 
ducees. Ananias, the glutton, was one of the most 
cruel of the Sadducees, who ridiculed the Pharisees’ 
lowly material estates, and vigorously preached 
that life was not everlasting. 

Militant wrangling resulted from Paul’s defence, 
and he was removed from the angry country¬ 
men and taken back to the castle for protection. 
Lysias talked with Paul privately and in extreme 
friendliness. He gave Luke and Timothy permis¬ 
sion to visit the castle, where Paul walked about 
freely. 


196 



PAUL OF TARSUS 


“And the night following, the Lord stood by him, 
and said, ‘ Be of good cheer, Paul; for as thou hast 
testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear 
witness also at Rome/ ” 

Paul’s friends visited the castle daily, and 
brought choice food for him. They encouraged 
him in every possible way. There were long 
weary days of waiting, waiting — for what ? Paul 
did not know! 

The dagger-men vowed to stop at nothing until 
they had killed Paul. They told their plan to the 
white-robed priests, and solicited their help. It 
was their plan to have the priests bring Paul into 
the council room near them, where they could 
have an easy opportunity to kill him. Paul’s 
nephew overheard the men plotting. He ascer¬ 
tained that Paul was their victim. 

The youth told his mother, Paul’s sister, who 
immediately sent him to the castle with a warning 
to Paul, that he might protect himself. In the 
quiet stone room of the castle, the lad told his 
uncle of the wicked plot to kill him; then he was 
taken to Captain Lysias with the story. Lysias 
was entertaining friends when the youth was 
ushered into his presence, and seeing that the boy 
hesitated to speak before others, he took him kindly 

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THE LIFE OF 


by the hand and led him to a secluded spot where 
they spoke in confidence. 

The captain heard the whispered story of Paul’s 
danger. The vile plot of the forty men and their 
curse boimd them all to an agreement not to eat 
or drink until Paul’s life had been taken. The 
lad told his Uncle Paul of the conference with 
Lysias, then ran swiftly through the dark streets 
to assure his anxious mother that he had delivered 
the important message which foiled the plotters. 

In all riots, Lysias was held accountable for un¬ 
explained disorder. He was annoyed that the Jews 
attempted such a bold plot with a prisoner under 
his own imposing military protection. He hastily 
gave orders to soldiers that seventy horsemen and 
four hundred footmen, also spare horses for Paul, 
were to be ready to start at nine o’clock. They 
were commanded to conduct these people safely 
to Governor Felix at his royal castle. 

Lysias wrote the following explanatory note: 
“Claudius Lysias sends greetings to the excellent 
Gk)vemor Felix. This man was seized by the 
Jews, and they were going to kill him when I came 
upon them with soldiers and rescued him, having 
heard that he was a Roman, but they said nothing 
against him which I thought deserved death or 

198 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


punishment. I was told, however, that there 
was a plot against him, and I have at once sent 
him to you to be tried; and I have told his accus¬ 
ers that they must speak against him. Farewell.” 

It was evident that Lysias wished to appear 
heroic in the eyes of Felix, his superior officer. 
After finishing the letter, Lysias read it to Paul to 
give him confidence that he would receive justice 
with Felix. Lysias closed the letter with wax, 
and sealed it tightly with the Roman signet on his 
ring. 

A moon shone down over the walls of the city 
as the hour of nine drew near, and there was a 
tramping of horses’ feet from the castle stables. 
Out beneath a canopy of dancing stars, the pro¬ 
cession wended its way in the direction of Caesarea, 
where Felix, in his gilded palace, enjoyed the cool 
sea-breezes. 

Lysias smiled as he watched the traveling train 
disappear in the moonlight, for he thought about 
the forty mouths which would parch and starve 
because of their infernal plots. 

Steadily on and on the train moved, taking Paul 
away from Jerusalem (the city of his early dreams) 
and the curse of the Jews. For a night and a day 
the hoofs resounded through the hills and valleys. 

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THE LIFE OF 


The trip was tiring to the bruised apostle, and his 
courage dragged its pinions, as a wounded dove. 

When the priests and the murderous dagger- 
men learned that Paul had been safely conducted 
to Felix before whom they must make their 
charges, they were angry. They could do nothing, 
for Lysias had proven master of the situation. 

Felix hated the Jews, and especially Ananias, 
the high priest. He had once been a slave, and 
had risen to his position through his brother’s 
high favor with the emperor. He was married to 
Drusilla, a beautiful Jewish princess, the sister of 
Herod Agrippa. Several years previously he had 
persuaded her to desert her husband and marry 
him. 

The letter of Lysias’ seal was delivered to Felix. 

'^And when the governor had read the letter, he 
asked of what province he was. And when he 
understood that he was of Cilicia: I will hear thee, 
said he, when thine accusers are also come. And 
he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judg¬ 
ment hall.” 

Paul slept with the soldiers in their barracks, 
not in the loathsome, foul-smelling prison. He 
was privileged to see his friends from the outside 
at any time. 


200 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


As was expected, Ananias came to accuse Paul 
before Felix. Paul's friends rallied around him as 
the crowds gathered in the big open court where 
Felix sat on his ivory throne. Tertullus, in his 
opening address, informed the listeners that Lysias 
used violent methods and took Paul out of their 
hands, ordering the accusers to appear before 
Felix for justice. The prevarication did not profit 
the case before Felix. This inaccuracy caused the 
governors to exchange glances significantly, and 
Paul was hopeful. 

The meek, humble apostle Paul was then called 
upon for his defence, and before the throng he 
justified the Nazarenes and their activities. Con¬ 
tinuing, he said: '^This I confess unto thee, that 
after the way which they call heresy, so worship 
I the God of my fathers, believing all things which 
are written in the law and in the prophets: and 
have hope toward God, which they themselves also 
allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the 
dead, both of the just and unjust." 

Felix deferred them and said, ^^When Lysias, 
the chief captain, shall come down, I will know 
the uttermost of your matter." Felix did not 
know about religious wrangling, therefore a post¬ 
ponement of the case seemed advisable. 

201 


THE LIFE OF 


The disturbance over Paul was temporarily 
quieted, and a delay caused for Ananias, who was 
obsessed with the desire to condemn the prisoner 
to death. So it was a disappointed Ananias who 
rode back through the heat to Jerusalem with his 
lawyer and others. 

Felix left Caesarea for a fortnight and returned 
with his beautiful wife, Drusilla, who was then 
about twenty years of age. He told her about 
Paul and his predicament. She understood some¬ 
what of the religious differences of the Jews, and 
tried to explain to her husband what it all meant. 
She requested that Paul speak before them that 
she might hear him. 

According to this request Paul was brought into 
their regal presence, and stood before the two, 
reclining upon their luxurious silken couches. 
Regardless of the rich surroundings, the muscular 
arms of Felix bespoke his former slavery days. 
Paul easily recognized Drusilla as one of his own 
race. She smiled as the slaves fanned her with 
ostrich feathers. Jewels glistened on her wrists 
and shapely throat. She had luminous dark eyes, 
cheeks like red roses, and hair that glistened like 
lacquered ebony. 

Paul related the story of Jesus and his love, then 

202 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


of John the Baptist. He paused occasionally as 
they questioned him about the Nazarenes' faith. 
Then he spoke specifically to Felix and Drusilla 
about self-control and keeping passions and mortal 
desires under restraint. He spoke of the higher life 
in Christ Jesus. 

While Felix had no religion, he possessed a 
natural human curiosity about God. Something 
in Paul's words made him fearful, and an upheaval 
of wonderment urged him to say to the strange 
prisoner before him, Go thy way for this time; 
when I have a convenient season, I will call for 
thee." And he trembled as he spoke. 

Felix was not averse to accepting bribes, so he 
tactfully mentioned the subject of Paul's buying 
his freedom. But to Paul,* this could never be 
arranged. He declared with much enthusiasm 
that he would neither pay money for his freedom, 
nor leave the prison without being proven innocent 
before all eyes. Consequently Paul discovered 
that Felix meant to keep him there indefinitely if 
the release funds were not forthcoming. 

Paul waited and prayed in his imcertain abode 
in the soldiers' barracks of the Roman castle. 
Roman soldiers comprised men of all nations, form¬ 
ing a conglomeration of Egyptians, Ethiopians, 

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Italians, ^Greeks, and Asiatics who had been 
selected for their strength and physical endurance. 
Many lessons were unfolded to Paul as he waited 
there among the tramping soldiers and neigh¬ 
ing horses. 

One day Onesimus, the runaway slave of Phile¬ 
mon, sought Paul in the barracks. Philemon was 
a Christian of Colosse whom Paul knew. The 
slave worked his way by boat to come to Paul, 
for he had learned to love him in his master's 
house. Paul told the slave of primitive Chris¬ 
tianity, he was baptized a Christian, and he im¬ 
plored the apostle to keep him there with him 
always as his own servant. 

While Onesimus proved to be a great comfort 
and help to Paul, he felt that it was not right to 
permit the slave to remain and serve him as his 
own servant without Philemon's permission to do 
so. He sent an epistle to his friend Philemon and 
persuaded the slave to return to his former master. 
This petition to Philemon revealed Paul's ideas 
regarding holding Onesimus in bondage as a slave, 
and he asked his good friend to receive him back 
in love and forgiveness for the offence of his 
escape. The slave returned reluctantly, for he 
loved to be near Paul and hear the daily lessons 

204 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


of Christianity and true freedom set forth with 
concise logic. 

In the communication addressed to Philemon, 
Paul referred to himself as aged, although he was 
then but fifty-eight years old. Experiences had 
rendered Paul weary and slow of movement; his 
imprisonment saddened him. Even as a prisoner, 
his thoughts were poised in the realm of spiritual 
freedom and his continuous mental unfoldment 
knew no retarded continuity. A certain release 
was experienced when he communed with God in 
selfless surrender. 

He kept in touch with all the small churches 
about him, such as the one in Laodicea, twenty 
miles away, and Hierapolis, a garden city situated 
in a growing valley of rich orchards, vineyards, 
and pasture land. He wrote, '"How beautiful are 
the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, 
and bring glad tidings of good things.'' 

Glimpses of the Mediterranean toward the west 
inspired numerous references used in symbolic 
lesson. Frequently he bade his followers not to be 
tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of 
false doctrine and teaching. 

Many letters were addressed to friends whom he 
knew intimately, advising them upon subjects 

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which most closely touched and governed their 
lives. 

Day after day he watched the soldiers about him 
in the barracks, adjusting their pieces of armor or 
polishing a breastplate in the bright sunshine. 
What immortal inspiration those moments held! 
Resolving daily things into thoughts! It is quite 
natural that he visualized these trivial common¬ 
place happenings through interpretive, spiritual 
lenses, thus enriching his writings with lessons of 
simplicity and power. He admonished his fol¬ 
lowers to ‘^put on the whole armor of God.” 
^'Gird your loins about with truth.” '^Have on 
the breastplate of righteousness.” ^^And your 
feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of 
peace.” ^^We wrestle not against flesh and 
blood.” Above all take the shield of faith.” 
''The helmet of salvation and the sword of Spirit 
which is the word of God.” "I am an ambassa¬ 
dor in bonds.” "To live—is Christ!” Peaks 
of colorful instruction rose from the valley of 
shadows and Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled, " For 
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the 
Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” 

For two years Paul waited there in the soldiers’ 
barracks, a prisoner. Felix encountered trouble 

206 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


with the persistent Zealots and dagger-men who 
kept the country in a frenzied uproar of confusion. 
Agrippa, the brother of Princess Drusilla, wife of 
Felix, was given authority by the governor to 
manage the temple. With this appointment he 
dismissed Ananias and placed Ishmael, a proud, 
arrogant Sadducee, in his stead. 

Paul could only yield to the supreme power 
and will of God while obeying the laws of state. 
He advised at this time, Let every one obey 
those in higher power, for there is no power with¬ 
out God. Obey as a duty to your conscience.'' 

Felix and his beautiful princess left Caesarea 
when Portius Festus was appointed governor. It 
was Festus' privilege to dwell in the beautiful 
Herod castle and to sit in the wondrous white 
ivory chair as others before him had done, and his 
general attitude was one of non mi cale. 

The responsibility of Paul's case passed to Por¬ 
tius Festus, for ‘Telix, willing to show the Jews a 
pleasure, left Paul—bound!" A prisoner of 
God! 


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CHAPTER XIII 

JUSTICE CRIES ALOUD 

The new governor, Fortius Festus, made a 
spectacular entrance into Jerusalem amid much 
pomp and ceremony, with a train of associates 
and soldiers. The customary form of inaugura¬ 
tion followed, and formally introduced the new 
governor to the people. Ishmael, the new high 
priest, had many complaints to be settled, but 
the most urgent for Festus' notice was the one 
against Paul. Importunate demands were made 
for his life, because of his supposed villainy of 
teaching against the temple laws. Enemies were 
vitriolic in their demands. Festus requested that 
the accusers come to Caesarea and declare their 
case in an orderly, legal manner, but they appeared 
reluctant to do so. 

Upon Festus' return to the Herod castle, he 
summoned Paul in order to hear his remarkable 
story. Paul was asked if he were willing to return 
to Jerusalem for trial. After a moment's medita¬ 
tion he answered that Jerusalem held no justice 
for him. There was a large assembly present 

208 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


when he desperately rose to a pathetic appeal. 
He cried before the people present: ‘^1 stand at 
Caesar's judgment seat where I ought to be judged. 
To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very 
well knowest. I appeal unto Caesar! I appeal 
unto Caesar!" 

The people were astounded at his request, but, 
according to the laws, it could not be ignored but 
must be granted. It was considered audacious 
to request a hearing before the court of Caesar. 

The thought of pressing on to Rome fired Paul's 
ambition, and he spoke with sincerity and clarity, 
so that his words reached every man in the open 
court. However, his friends doubted the wisdom 
of his going to Rome. 

Festus answered Paul's request by saying: 
''Thou hast appealed to Caesar — to Caesar thou 
shalt go!" 

When the time came, Paul arranged to assume 
all the expenses of his trip to Rome. His Tarsus 
inheritance enabled him to pay the pledges and 
charges, as well as the passage fare for himself 
and a soldier guard. Poor men could appeal in 
the courts; without money to carry on their cases 
skilfully, appeals were worthless, because verdicts 
failed them through the lack of proper defence. 

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Gay festival days were celebrated in honor of 
the newly appointed governor. The fact that 
Paul, a prisoner of Christ, prepared to leave his 
abode in the barracks and to move towards Rome, 
was of no consequence to the citizens, but there 
was one guest present in the castle who inquired 
for Paul. This was Agrippa, the little king of the 
north near Gennesaret, brother of the handsome 
Drusilla. He brought his other beautiful sister, 
Bernice, with him to the holiday feasting and 
games. She was his constant companion and 
she influenced all his decisions. 

A royal welcome was given to Agrippa and 
Bernice as their coach arrived, with richly har¬ 
nessed horses, chiefs, and slaves in colorful array. 
They were escorted by many soldiers and guards, 
and a camel with the customary gift upon his 
back. 

All this pomp and show overwhelmed the super¬ 
stitious, simple-minded people of the city, and 
they diffidently bowed to such grandeur. 

Brawny black slaves carried the couch where 
Bernice reclined, and their dark bodies shone in 
the sunlight like polished ebony. 

As the royal party dined, Festus told his guests, 
Agrippa and Bernice, about Paul, the Tarsus 

210 


»: 

+ A ' 

PAUL OF TARSUS 

Jew in the brown cloak, and of the religious con¬ 
troversy which instigated his imprisonment. The 
guests wished to see Paul and to hear him speak, 
so Festus summoned him to appear before them 
the next day. 

When the hour arrived, the royal room was 
made ready to receive Paul. Agrippa, arrayed 
in gaudy splendor, followed by Bernice, carried 
by her slaves, entered and took their places in the 
royal group with Festus, their host. Regimental 
officers and prominent men of the city were present. 
They stood in a group around Festus’ ivory chair, 
critically waiting to hear Paul speak. 

With thin chains jingling at his wrists, Paul 
moved before them. His bright striped kerchief 
hung loosely over his grey head. A soft silk girdle 
held his grey tunic in place. His arms and feet 
were bare. 

He glanced about the audience and a trace of 
astonishment flashed in his keen grey eyes as he 
beheld the unveiled, famous Jewish princess whose 
statue he had often seen in Athens — Bernice! 

Paul silently awaited his introduction by Festus. 
All listeners turned to Festus as he announced 
that he had found Paul to have many enemies who 
demanded his life. He stated that he found noth- 

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ing which justified a penalty of death, but he could 
not send him forth to Rome without a just reason 
for his appeal. That, Festus continued, would 
necessitate a logical, written report such as was 
expected by the courts of Rome. And he added, 
''It seemeth unreasonable to me. King Agrippa, 
to send a prisoner to Rome and not withal to signify 
the crimes laid against him.'’ Agrippa then con¬ 
descendingly bestowed upon Paul the privilege 
of speaking. "Paul, you are permitted to speak 
for yourself!" Then Agrippa sank back into the 
silken cushions to hear Paul speak. 

Paul knew that he could speak to Agrippa with 
perfect confidence and freedom because he was 
not prejudiced, nor biased by teachings of the 
rabbis, nor was he allied to any definite ritualistic 
devotion. He was a worldly-wise prince, receptive 
to the convincing words of the humble apostle. 
Paul said: " I think myself happy. King Agrippa, 
because I shall answer for myself this day before 
thee touching all the things whereof I am accused 
of the Jews, especially because I know thee to be 
expert in all customs and questions which are 
among the Jews; wherefor I beseech thee to hear 
me patiently." 

Bernice played with her fan as Paul's story 

212 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


about the heavenly vision rang out to the listeners. 
Agrippa was attentive, for he was cognizant of 
all the priests^ persecution of Paul for his preaching 
the gospel to strangers and foreigners. When 
Paul spoke of Christ as risen from the dead, Festus 
interrupted saying, ^^Paul, thou art beside thy- 
seK; much learning doth make thee mad.^^ Con¬ 
sidering the stories wild and improbable, Festus 
appeared disgusted. PauFs rich tones echoed 
through the gilded hall in renewed strength and 
power. am not mad, most noble Festus; but 
speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 
The king to whom I speak freely knows about 
these things.^^ Then turning his earnest glance 
upon Agrippa, he anxiously inquired: ''King 
Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know 
that thou believest. Agrippa hesitated then 
answered, "You could make me a Christian with 
but little persuasion, Paul.^^ 

Paul was grateful to hear any man admit the 
Christ truths to be powerful, and he resumed his 
talk with a renewed tenderness, addressing his 
words principally to the king. 

"I would to God that whether with little or 
much, not only you but all who hear me to-day 
might become as I am!^' His head sank on his 

213 


THE LIFE OF 


breast and he murmured sadly as he lifted up his 
manacled wrists significantly, Except for these 
chains/' 

This experience thrilled Agrippa, and he won¬ 
dered if he had manifested weakness in having 
been so deeply moved by this apostle's preaching. 
After Paul returned to the barracks, Agrippa sat 
at feast with Festus, Bernice, and a few others, 
and declared firmly to Festus, ^'This man has 
done nothing to deserve punishment or death." 

Emperor Claudius expressed his gratitude to 
Herod Agrippa for services rendered, by having 
a brass tablet put up in his honor, and bestowing 
the power upon him to rule over the country of 
his grandfather, Herod the Great. Herod Agrippa 
was far from being saintly, and while posing as a 
strict Pharisee, he wrought many changes at 
Jerusalem which included the appointment of 
Gamaliel as president of the Sanhedrin. But 
when he returned to Caesarea, he laid aside the 
Pharisaical pose and relaxed into his usual prof¬ 
ligate role of Roman roue. He played the game 
both ways with the people. He persecuted the 
Nazarenes to please the Jews — more for effect 
than from malice. He caused James, the humble 
Nazarene fisherman, to be imprisoned and be- 

214 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


headed, as Herod the Fox had sentenced John 
the Baptist. Seeing that his methods pleased the 
powerful Sanhedrin, Herod had Peter imprisoned, 
with the intention of having him killed at a con¬ 
venient time after the Passover festival, but Peter 
escaped miraculously and fled to Jerusalem. 

King Agrippa rode to Caesarea for the games 
and national festivities, and when he entered the 
vast amphitheatre, the multitude sat breathless 
as he took his seat. His robes were rich and shin¬ 
ing, he wore a crown of precious jewels — and 
much authority. He was the guest of honor. 

It was the day of youth. Bouts of wrestling, 
fighting, leaping, singing, and dancing all held 
their respective places on the programme. When 
Agrippa arose to make his last memorable speech, 
the gold threads of his robe shone in the sunlight 
with scintillating sparkle. As he had previously 
been quarreling with the Phoenicians over their 
grain ships, he spoke with fire and sharpness. 
His eloquence resounded in the vast arena. The 
people were perfectly silent. He was a trained 
orator and knew well the psychological science of 
influencing audiences as he wished by mental sug¬ 
gestions. When he ended his speech the people 
cried, ''It is the voice of God! It is the voice of 

215 


THE LIFE OF 


God!” Then a sudden shout of alarm pierced 
the air. "'The king is ill!” The sparkling crown 
of jewels fell to earth. Agrippa's prostrate body 
was carried away through the resplendent flower 
gardens, which were still fresh with the dews of 
springtime. Within the week the king passed 
away. 

The Jews mourned him in an ashy way, de¬ 
claring that this tragedy had come because Agrippa 
permitted the people to call him a god. 

With the passing of Herod Agrippa, Jerusalem 
lost its last Jewish king. Paul gleaned informa¬ 
tion of Agrippa's demise from traveling merchants 
and sea tradesmen who visited Antioch with their 
wares. 

Because Paul had already appealed to the 
Roman courts, the governor, Festus, could not 
set Paul free. The prisoner would have to follow 
the course of his own choosing. Paul never realized 
how close he had been to freedom during his last 
few hours at Caesarea. 

Festus completed detailed plans for Paul's trip 
to Rome, and specified that he was to be es¬ 
corted under the personal charge of Julius, an 
officer in the Augustine Band, one of the most 
efficient Roman regiments. 

216 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


Paul’s friends rallied around him as he prepared 
to depart. Their hearts were heavy with sad¬ 
ness as they showered their bon voyage gifts of 
love upon him. In those days it was not unusual 
to see a man shed tears of grief; so when Paul’s 
boat sailed out over shining waters, there were 
many moist eyes peering from the shore, and 
faithful hands waved farewell until distance en¬ 
folded the sails into indistinctness. 

Luke, the physician, and Aristarchus of Thessa- 
lonica, wishing to make this trip with Paul, accom¬ 
panied him listed as servants. 

It was late in October and the winds were un¬ 
certain. The travelers were driven into shelter¬ 
ing ports several times, to change vessels. Rain 
and wind lashed their faces as they made every 
effort to cover the required leagues. Their vessel, 
a grain-boat under the Egyptian flag, was beaten 
and tossed and whipped like a tiny bark by the 
angry waves. Struggling and drifting, they made 
little headway for many weeks. Although the 
weather was threatening, Julius,^ the soldier, urged 
the captain to continue sailing toward their des¬ 
tination, for he feared that the icy claws of winter 
would soon be upon them. And if they were 
caught by treacherous elements they could move 

217 


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nowhere with safety, until March or April. 

They attempted to land at the small island of 
Clauda for shelter and drinking-water. Drenched 
with the driving rains and surrounded by black 
waves, heaving and hissing about them, they found 
it necessary to throw all cargo overboard to save 
the ship and passengers, as the boat sank lower 
and lower into the water. 

Paul clung to the twisted ropes of the rolling 
boat and sleep closed his eyes. He had a dream. 
It was a vision of heaven — a perfect realm of 
contentment, of God's peace and relief from all 
earthly woe. When he awoke he was refreshed, 
and with vigor he offered encouragement to those 
about him who suffered from fear and exposure. 
He said: ^‘Now I exhort you to be of good cheer; 
for there shall be no loss of any man's life among 
you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this 
night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I 
serve, saying: Fear not, Paul; thou must be 
brought before Caesar; and lo, God hath given 
thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, 
sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it 
shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we 
must be cast upon a certain island." Thus Paul 
prophesied the wreck upon an island. 

218 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


His wisdom inspired confidence and trust among 
many of the desperate men. Some of the super¬ 
stitious passengers began to fling gifts into the 
sea as offerings to false gods whom they implored 
wildly in their distress. The names of “ Minerva,” 
‘‘Venus/^ and Neptune/' loudly rent the storm- 
ridden air. The heart of Paul turned to the great 
Am" who governs all things even during this 
perilous experience in Adriatic waters. Fourteen 
days had passed since they left Crete. About 
midnight of the fourteenth day, desperate cries 
of ''Breakers! Breakers!" arose, as mad waves 
were distinctly heard to dash over near-by rocks, 
and they all "wished for the day." 

Four anchors were instantly thrown over, and 
the boat stopped. Several sailors were discovered 
trying to escape with their lives by stealthily 
lowering a small boat. A soldier's swift sword 
cut the ropes of the small boat, which fell into the 
darkness of the night with a loud splash. 

They waited for the light of dawn. 


219 


THE LIFE OF 


CHAPTER XIV 

SHIPWRECK AND MIRACLES 

At last dawn came, and the men began to fight 
for life and the shore. There were many prisoners 
on board who were going to Rome, but they were 
chained together more like dogs than men, and 
treated with much less consideration than men give 
their fine horses. Julius quickly demanded that 
these prisoners' chains be unfastened, that they 
might be released to swim to the shore. Then 
a battle with the surf ensued. Men leaped wildly 
into the foaming, raging waters. Others, fastened 
to floating planks like terrified animals, were 
riding the waves with glassy countenances of fear 
and the pallor of death. 

The ship slowly yielded to the dashing, slashing 
knives of the sea. It was slivered, severed, and 
soaked with the cutting waves. Bruised and 
bleeding they ploughed through the savage waters 
and reached the shore. Driving rain now came 
down in torrents. Natives witnessed the ship¬ 
wreck from their caves and huts on the shore. 
They saw the staggering, half-drowned men land 

220 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


on their shores of Malta — formerly a part of the 
Roman province of Sicily, but now a possession 
of England. 

The men suffered from the cold and were glad 
to accept the kindness of the natives, who proffered 
them the comfort of their fires. 

'"When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, 
and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out 
'of the heat, and fastened on his hand.'’ The 
natives, observing that he was a prisoner, by the 
brass chain hanging from his wrist, believed that 
he had tried to escape his punishment, and in 
righteous vengeance, a viper fastened upon him to 
cause his death. Paul gazed at the viper and 
calmly "he shook off the beast into the fire and 
felt no harm." 

"They looked when he should have swollen 
or fallen down dead suddenly; but after they had 
looked a great while, and saw no harm come to 
him, they changed their minds, and said that he 
was a god." 

The shipwreck and storm from which Paul 
escaped, are vividly portrayed in the New Testa¬ 
ment according to Luke, the physician, who was 
one of the companions of Paul on this journey. 

The natives took the shipwrecked men to 

221 


THE LIFE OF 


Publius, the chief man of the island, for care and 
shelter. He personally cared for the Christians 
in his own home, for three days. 

The father of Publius was dangerously ill ^^of 
a fever and ^'to whom Paul entered in, and 
prayed, . . . laid his hands on him, and healed 
him.’' After this demonstration of God’s pres¬ 
ence with Paul, many ''others also, which had 
diseases in the island, came, and were healed.” 

There was nothing for the shipwrecked pas¬ 
sengers to do but remain on the island, so they 
erected a temporary camp to house their number 
during the severe winter months. There was 
only one ship within a near-by harbor, and that 
was a large grain ship from Alexandria; however, 
Julius thought it advisable not to enter the Alex¬ 
andrian boat. 

Alexandria, known as an early home of bitter 
intolerance, was the most important colony of 
Jews, in point of culture, wealth, and arrogance. 
Cicero referred to Alexandrians as "slavish to the 
core.” 

During the months which followed Paul became 
endeared to the people of the island. He closely 
adhered to the command of Jesus to "Go into 
all the world, preach the gospel and heal the sick.” 

222 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


He could not forget, as many of Jesus' followers 
do, that to '^heal the sick" was a direct command 
of Jesus without reservations or compromise. 
He gave humanity a vital lesson by his example 
of doing the works of God wherever circumstances 
led; accomplishing that which was near at hand, 
and resolving things into thoughts. 

February brought pleasant weather and they 
sat sail toward Rome in the ship Twin Brothers, 
with its wooden figurehead of Castor and Pollux 
looking into the water from the bow, and a large 
white eye painted conspicuously on one side, to 
please the sailors' superstitious whims. 

The natives of Malta regretted to see Paul 
and the others depart, and showed their affection 
by presentations of gifts and abundant supplies 
for the rest of the journey. 

Syracuse, the ancient port of the island of Sicily, 
was the next stop for the travelers. They re¬ 
mained there for three days. 

They viewed Etna's burning mountain-cone 
which shone amongst the hills, flamed fire by 
night, and was a moving grey by day. They 
gazed through the Strait of Messina into the 
harbor of Italy, a magic shore of entrancing beauty. 

They passed the bewitching island of Capri, 

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then Capenella Point. Across the Bay of Naples 
they viewed the floating trails of Vesuvius^ smoke, 
forming myriad pictures against the blue back¬ 
ground of the sky. The mirrored waters enfolded 
the Bay of Puteoli, the seaside resort of noble 
families. 

The passengers of the Twin Brothers disem¬ 
barked in the renowned Puteoli, at the long pier 
of black bricks made from the lime of Vesuvius. 

At last Paul’s feet touched the soil of sunny 
Italy. Spain and Italy were countries he had 
always wished to visit. On the way from the 
harbor to the city, Paul and his friends saw a great, 
square monument in the principal street. It was 
erected in honor of Emperor Tiberius, for his kind¬ 
ness to the cities of Asia after a destructive earth¬ 
quake. On the square base of the monument 
were carved the figures of twelve beautiful women, 
each representing a city; Ephesus occupied the 
most conspicuous position. 

What memories touched Paul’s mind as he 
gazed upon symbols of cities where he had lifted 
high his lamp of Christ in illumination and re¬ 
ceived the cruel pangs of the persecutors’ lash at 
every turn! 

March donned her garments of early spring- 

224 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


time as Julius ordered the soldiers to resume the 
journey by land. The road into Rome was a long 
one, and the best available horses were given to 
Paul and his companion. 

The horses tramped steadily on toward the 
Appian Way, named for Appius Claudius who 
made it at a tremendous expense. Romans were 
famed for their road-building, and Appius earned 
his notable place in the annals of history as a fore¬ 
most authority in road-building. 

They crossed the unique Pontine marshes in 
canal boats which were pulled by indolent mules. 
Horace, the poet of Rome, and Vergil, the bard, 
had crossed the same way thirty-seven years 
before. 

Puteoli friends hastened on to the Christians 
of Rome with the news of Paul's coming. They 
were grieved to learn that he came in chains, a 
prisoner, for they loved him with a great devotion. 
Nero was known as a merciless fiend, and they 
feared for Paul's safety. 

When Aquila and his wife heard of Paul's early 
arrival, they set out with several relatives of Paul's, 
Junia, and Andronicus, to meet him at the Appius 
market, at the Roman end of the canal, not know¬ 
ing that he would proceed through the marshes. 

225 


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THE LIFE OF 

When the brown-cloaked figure was seen among 
the armored soldiers, the bright brass chain dan¬ 
gling from his wrists made their hearts sink with 
sad heaviness. They hastened to greet him with 
messages that the Christians of Rome were eager 
to welcome and hear him. Paul seemed to be ever 
conscious now of the prisoners' chains and their 
perpetual dirge of bondage. 

The travelers passed Three Taverns," where 
Cicero had once sipped wine and changed horses. 
At this point of the journey, other loyal friends 
from Rome came out to welcome Paul and pledge 
their steadfastness. 

Throbbing with humanity's constant pulse, the 
Appian Way unfolded endlessly, like a great rib¬ 
bon, stretching into the very heart of Rome itself. 

Rich Romans in gorgeous attire rode by in gilded 
carriages, and chariots bedecked with brilliant 
colors rolled along beneath the smiling sun. The 
way was colorful with picturesque barbarity, and 
sights of pagan intoxication moved on all sides — 
for the eyes of the people. 

Rome! To enter Rome! Paul's ambitious 
mission approached realization! 

To voice his message within those walls and 
turn carnal hearts to God was indeed an ambition 

226 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


of sacred import! Did he consider that the temple 
of Hercules looked down upon his small stature 
and ordinary appearance as he passed? Did it 
impose a feeling of self-pity upon his thought? 

Julius pointed with pride to the monument of 
the distinguished Julian family, explaining to Paul 
that the ashes of his ancestors rested there. Paul 
saw the home of Seneca, the renowned statesman, 
brother of Gallio, his gentle, loving friend. Gallic, 
his friend! And he “remembered the words of 
Cicero: Friendship is the only thing in the world 
concerning the usefulness of which all mankind 
are agreed.’' 


227 


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THE LIFE OF 


CHAPTER XV 
BONDAGE OF ROME 

Rome, where Nero ruled with imbecile caprice, 
unfolded before PauTs eyes — a chanting, mocking 
revelry to idols of the gods. The very atmosphere 
seemed devoid of the breath of God. It was 
stifling with its monuments and orgies dedicated 
to depraved emotions. 

Nero ruled without dignity or intelligence. A 
love of praise played upon vanity and his mad as¬ 
pirations. For example, he insanely drove around 
the huge circus arena with a four-horse chariot in 
the races, to satisfy his love of applause. The 
people shouted wildly at his pranks, but in secret 
they were filled with contempt and disgust. 

In Rome, Paul was given the privilege of living 
in the house for which he paid, in preference to 
occupying the regular prisoners' quarters in vaults 
beneath the palace buildings. In this way he was 
free to have his followers with him while awaiting 
his trial. 

The letter to the Christians at Colosse may 
have been written soon after his arrival in Rome. 

228 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


At the end of Timothy’s copy, he concluded this 
epistle with a personal message broadly scrawled 
with a trembling, chained hand. 

The stress of years of service in an age of turmoil 
weighed heavily, as his letters of resignation reveal. 
Withal there shines a beacon light of victory — 
battles fought and won, and a human personality 
submerged into divine selfhood for the service of 
all mankind. 

‘‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those 
things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the 
right hand of God. Set your affections on things 
above, not on things on the earth. When Christ, 
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also 
appear with him in glory. Put off anger, wrath, 
malice, blasphemy, filthy communications out of 
your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that 
ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and 
have put on the new man, which is renewed in 
knowledge after the image of Him that created 
him.” 

''Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and 
beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness 
of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one 
another, if any man have a quarrel against any; 
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And 

229 



THE LIFE OF 


above all these things put on charity, which is the 
bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God 
rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called 
in one body; and be ye thankful. And whatso¬ 
ever ye do in word or deed, do it heartily, as to 
the Lord, and not unto men.^' 

Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, 
redeeming the time! The salutation by the hand 
of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be 
with you. Amen.’^ 

The wheels of justice moved slowly in Rome. 
Several Jewish priests waited three years for a 
hearing. They were not released until Josephus, 
the great historian, pleaded for them. Jews were 
despised in Rome, and they lived secluded lives 
in districts apart, as in many cities elsewhere. 

Most Christians kept their faith a secret, for the 
antagonistic attitude against the teachings of the 
gentle Nazarene was prevalent, and Christians 
were given no tolerant consideration. Paul would 
not pose as a secret Christian. He gladly ad¬ 
mitted to the world that he was a Christian, and 
gloried in the faith of Christ Jesus. 

Paul taught that he was made free by his faith, 
although, to the material senses, he was a prisoner 
with the ever-clanking chain of captivity. He 

230 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


could not deny Christianity before men. Soon the 
gospel which he taught, and the healings which he 
brought about, wooed to his doors many wanderers 
from all walks of life. 

Patiently he waited for trial, which would mean 
his ultimate freedom in the eyes of the world. 
Days wore on and on into months, just as clouds 
disappear before the gaze of the changeless sun. 
At times the embers of hope seemed extinguished! 

Loving friends at Philippi sent a substantial sum 
as a love offering to him, knowing the power of 
money in all Roman cases. Epaphroditus deliv¬ 
ered it, although he almost perished from illness en 
route. The practical gift of love may have been 
suggested by Lydia, the merchant, for she often 
communicated with the wandering apostle. and 
closely watched his steps to martyrdom. 

Paul's wishes were indulged by the Romans to a 
surprising degree. His loving demeanor and con¬ 
fidence, made him distinctly receptive of the kindly 
treatment which he received at their hands. 

Timothy wrote at Paul's dictation as in former 
days. Letters were sent back and forth without 
interference of the Roman soldiers, who watched, 
with keen eye and listening ear, everything that 
happened. 


231 


THE LIFE OF 


Nero's conduct continued to be that of an incor¬ 
rigible boy. He was the twenty-five-year-old son 
of the late Emperor Claudius. His mother had 
pushed him into the limelight, and made him 
emperor at the age of seventeen years, in preference 
to his half-brother, Britannicus, who was in reality 
the heir to the throne. When Nero had been 
emperor but one year, he ordered Britannicus 
poisoned, so that he was well out of the way. The 
indulgent mother who had permitted Nero's un¬ 
bridled passions to govern his youth, became the 
object of his cruel hatred. He ordered her put to 
death. Nero employed ruffians who tried to drown 
her. Failing, they finally stabbed her. 

He married the old emperor's daughter, Octavia, 
the sister of Britannicus. This gentle girl, whom 
he never loved, became degraded, and he immedi¬ 
ately arranged her death that he might take Pop- 
paea, a favorite, as his wife. He tried to avoid 
arousing suspicion or hostility by such proceedings. 

Paul, the saintly apostle, would take his case 
for justice to Nero, the mad emperor of Rome! 
Seneca, Nero's old tutor, took chief charge of his 
public affairs, with Burrhus, an honest man, head¬ 
ing the soldiers' contingent. 

Perpetual unrest governed the young ruler's 

232 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


mind, and his escapades flame through the pages of 
history as carnal blotches upon the records of 
time. He not only wanted to be worshipped by 
all as a mighty ruler, but he longed to be recog¬ 
nized as the best singer of the age, the best player, 
poet, dancer, and charioteer in the world — a par¬ 
agon of all arts! 

The situation was a pathetic one, for his wicked¬ 
ness prevented the possession of a sense of humor. 
The soldiers were forced to help carry out all his 
mad ambitions for applause. They filled the vast 
theatre to overflowing when his husky, cracked 
voice piped forth. They planted groups through¬ 
out the crowd to applaud vociferously. The 
trembling, nervous hand of the indulged Nero 
played the lyre; his weak legs danced, and he re¬ 
cited his own poetry, which did not have a trace of 
intelligence in its composition. All government 
employees were forced to join in the merrymaking. 
If they were undiplomatic enough to refuse, they 
faced death. 

A Roman soldier described Nero to Paul as a 
pale, anemic-looking object with long yellow hair, 
cruel eyes like two small beads, a heavy chin, a 
stout body, plump with the bloat of wine, and 
always clasping a silk scarf tightly against his 

233 


THE LIFE OF 

throat to protect his vocal chords from the sharp 
winds. 

In Rome, work was an activity meant for slaves. 
The afternoons were devoted to sports, and thou¬ 
sands gathered each day to see the soldiers’ sham 
fights, or run, jump, or swim in the river below 
Nero’s bridge. A human line cheered from the 
shore as swift figures of swimmers dashed by in the 
river races. A continuous round of exciting enter¬ 
tainments were featured for Nero’s amusement. 

Housewives in Rome cherished images of Vesta, 
which they kept behind a little curtained shrine. 
They believed that this goddess was closely allied 
to household, fireside, and harmony, so they fre¬ 
quently appealed to Vesta for her guidance. 

The first door-wreaths of green cypress branches, 
signifying death within the house, were used in 
Rome. 

Seekers from all ranks visited Paul’s house for 
his help and council. The slave with welts of abuse 
bulging from his black back, and the delicate 
woman whose hands were snowy white from bath¬ 
ing in goat’s milk! They learned from the humble 
apostle that their bodies were spiritual temples of 
the living God and embodied all right ideas. 

During Nero’s reign, haK the Roman population 

234 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


lived on the emperor’s corn. They boasted that 
their cry was always, Give us bread for nothing 
and games forever.” Nero thirsting for more 
intoxication in power and praise for his absurd 
pranks, caused more and greater theatres to be 
built in which to perpetrate his inanities. Like a 
wild and restless animal, he had to be fed with the 
tonic of the senses. He wallowed in the dregs of 
carnality. 

At this period there were numerous circuses 
(with raging animals, and gladiators fighting and 
leaping about in bloody combat) for Nero’s amuse¬ 
ment. But those scenes soon waned, for their 
brutality held nothing new or thrilling. He craved 
greater cruelty, so bands of slaves were brought 
into the circuses and fed to the yawning, himgry 
mouths of wild beasts. Human sacrifices were 
made ruthlessly, to entertain Nero and his wanton 
cortege of flatterers. Thus barbarous cruelty 
became a sport in Rome — a mere incident in the 
most wicked era of the whole world’s history, when 
Christians were used as fire kindling. How incon¬ 
sistent it seemed that Christianity gleamed in its 
first, white flickering in the age of lowest debauch¬ 
ery! 

Some of the prisoners who were saved with Paul 

235 


THE LIFE OF 


from the shipwreck while en route to Rome, were 
led into Nero's arena of horror and torture. 

The next degraded desire which Nero wished to 
execute was to perform in the Circus Maximus, 
which attracted the lowest class of the people, 
known as the scum of Rome. Burrhus, dis¬ 
couraged by his command over the soldiers, tried 
to persuade Nero not to do this thing which was 
so beneath him in every way. Soon Burrhus 
mysteriously sickened and died. Whispers about 
the city muttered, '^Poisoned." Nero's young 
favorite, Tigellinus, was given Burrhus' place and 
he enthusiastically set about planning all manner 
of debauchery to please the wanton ruler. 

On a plea of ill health, Seneca asked to be retired 
from duty that he might study philosophy. 
Strange to relate, the request was granted, and he 
was permitted to live. All whom Nero envied or 
disliked were instantly put to death. 

He carried out his wild desire to perform as a 
common charioteer. As the various chariots as¬ 
sembled, Nero's shone in the light — all (white) 
ivory and burnished metal with four jet-black 
horses gorgeously plumed. He wore a transparent 
shimmering robe of gold, clasped at his shoulder 
by an amethyst. He drove to the first position of 

236 



PAUL OF TARSUS 


winner as the programme was arranged. Ame¬ 
thyst ribbons bore his victorious colors among the 
others of brilliant red, blue, green, and yellow. 

It was customary to signify the start of the 
chariot race by dropping a white handkerchief from 
the emperor’s box. Then began the whirling whips 
and leaping horses. Horses running abreast of 
Nero quickly fell back. Every one understood 
that all the praise and glory of the day was to go 
to Nero. Catering to a fool on a self-made pedestal 
was a tiresome occupation, but the Nero game had 
to be played, and incurring his displeasure meant 
death. A wreath of green leaves was placed upon 
the weak head of Nero as winning charioteer, but 
back of the thunderous cheers were ridicule and 
dismay at such human folly. 

While Paul lived for two years in the house 
which he engaged in Rome, conditions under Nero’s 
direction grew worse for the Christians. Paul’s 
associates moved about from town to town with 
his messages and letters, which were divinely 
designed to strengthen the firm, substantial weav¬ 
ing of the fabric of Christianity in the world, that 
it mi^t some day hold all the earth in its tender 
embrace of unity. 

Then days of despondency handicapped Paul. 

237 


THE LIFE OF 


He often felt that Death, that last enemy, was 
upon him. Comparing himself with the gladiators 
in the Roman arena, he said that he had fought a 
good fight, he had finished the race, he had kept 
the faith; his crown was not to be one of the 
faded leaves such as tempted Nero, but a crown of 
rejoicing from God, the One and Only Superior 
Judge. 

Clouds of persecution hovered over Christians 
and Jews alike in Rome, and Paul trembled as he 
waited from day to day to utter the speech of his 
defence before the Romans. Within the apostle 
lived the spirit of courage which would not be 
chained nor submerged, for it was a living, flaming 
thing of immortal strength. He surrendered all to 
God, and listened ever for His voice. 

We do not know definitely where Paul was at the 
time of the great fire. The man with the brown 
cloak, who followed so closely the Master^s teach¬ 
ings after he found them, fades from history as 
the dwellings faded before the fire. 

Rome burned for nine days unceasingly. In 
desperation the poor citizens who had been mes¬ 
merized to praise their ruler, turned to blame and 
curse him then for the fire. They resented the 
fact that he rested in the cool breezes at Antium 

238 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


when the first flames broke out in the city. When 
the word was dispatched that Rome was burning, 
he stayed in comfort and replied with a flippancy 
which angered the people. He would not rettim 
until he had learned that his favorite gardens were 
in no danger of the fire’s parching tongue; then 
calling his few devoted friends about him, he 
watched the fire from his palace on the hill and 
delightedly sang to them the ballad of the burning 
of Troy, accompanied by his own twanging on the 
lyre. 

It was a strange angle of fate that caused Nero 
to provide dwellings for the common people in huts 
across the Tiber, and plans were soon in his hands 
for rebuilding Rome with wide, straight streets. 
He was overheard to say, “Perish the world in 
fire in my lifetime,” which plainly suggested the 
prattle of disordered thinking. 

Suspicion arose among the people, and when it 
bore the tenor of personal danger, Nero cunningly 
turned the eyes of the Romans away from his 
own guilt by pointing to the Christians. They 
were marked as the perpetrators of the crime of 
destruction. 

Soon the Romans decided that it was the creep¬ 
ing Jews, the “Jewish pests,” who would not be 

239 


THE LIFE 0^ 


banished, but crawled back into their midst as 
Christians. They declared that the fire started 
near the Circus Maximus, where many of them 
peddled their shoddy wares. 

Crazed with excesses, the wild young Nero, fired 
with many lies brought to him, began his wicked 
persecution of innocent Christians. Nero spared 
no one. Neither sex nor age mattered to him, 
and he resorted to all the most dreadful tortures 
known to man. 

The Latin historian Tacitus narrates that those 
who professed their Christian faith were taken and 
destroyed first. Was Paul among those sufferers? 
We do not know! 

Many were wrapped in skins and destroyed by 
mad dogs; others were crucified on wooden crosses, 
and many served as human torches, burning at 
night to light a thoroughfare. Nero's own gardens 
were used for much of this kind of horror, which 
he demanded to satisfy his abnormal cravings. 

The Romans observed that the peaceful Chris¬ 
tians were facing their death fearlessly, with 
prayers falling from their lips, so soon to be stilled 
by the price of martyrdom. 

On one day the circus floor was thick with crosses 
of the Christians. Did Paul stand among the 

240 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


leading Christians of Rome, strengthening and 
admonishing them that to wear the crown they 
they must bear the cross ? We do not know. 

One night the garden of Nero was aglow with 
the light of human torches which the mad ruler 
watched with diabolical delight. 

A delirious madman with shattered health and 
diseased brain, Nero could not continue on his 
road of infamy. He fled in cowardice to a country 
villa one day, clenching fast a golden box which 
held his secret poison. Terrified by sounds of 
appiroaching soldiers who followed his mysterious 
departing steps, he instantly placed a dagger to 
his breast, and a slave drove the weak blade home. 
At thirty years of age he perished — and no one 
mourned the loss. 

Within this flaming, stained frame of Roman 
paganism flashed the last glimpse of the wonderful 
human portrait of Paul, the beloved apostle, to 
the eyes of humanity. Dimly it appeared as a 
misty etching, with countenance illumined with 
divine light. Smoky shadows and the fog of perse¬ 
cution then obstructed the vision, and amid the 
weird satanic patterns designed of carnality, 
Paul disappeared. No one definitely knows his 
fate as a leading Christian of Rome. Men saw his 

241 


PAUL OF TARSUS 


steps of martyrdom press no farther along earth's 
shore of time, but his teachings are immortal, and 
they shall press on down throughout eternity. 
Through all the ages they will ring in vibrant praise 
of the living God. 

The highest peaks of man's spiritual understand¬ 
ing are glorified by Paul's torch of enlightenment, 
and the breezes of eternity shall forever sing the 
life, truth, and love of Paul's blessed purpose into 
the hearts of all mankind. 

Chosen by the loving Father as a messenger of 
the Christ truth, he trod the thorny road on and 
on to eternal Peace and the love of God which is 
divine. 

Paul, the beloved one — Apostle of Adoration! 


242 


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